


The Lover | l.s

by medicineshome



Series: The Lover [1]
Category: Larry Stylinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Bottom Harry, BoyxBoy, M/M, Mpreg, Obsession, Romance, Top Louis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 12:57:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 96,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18717541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/medicineshome/pseuds/medicineshome
Summary: BOOK 1/4| Young interior designer Harry Styles has no idea what awaits him at The Manor. A run-of-the-mill consultation with a stodgy country gent seems likely but what Harry finds instead is Louis Tomlinson; a devastatingly handsome, utterly confident, pleasure-seeking playboy who knows no boundaries.Harry doesn't want to be attracted to this man, and yet he can't control the overwhelming desire that Louis stirs in him. He knows that his heart will never survive Louis and his instinct is telling him to run, but Louis is not willing to let him go. He wants Harry and is determined to have him.Will Harry run or stay with Louis?( Adaptation of the book 'This Man' by Jodis Ellen Malpas)





	1. ღ I.

I rifled through the piles and piles of paraphernalia that was sprawled all over my bedroom floor knowing that I was going to be late. On a Friday, after being on time all week, I was going to be late.

"Niall!" I yelled frantically and ran out onto the landing, throwing myself over the banister. "Niall!"

I heard the familiar sound of a wooden spoon bashing the edges of a ceramic bowl as Niall appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He looked up at me with a tired expression. An expression I had became used to recently.

"Keys! Have you seen my car keys?" I puffed at him.

"They're on the coffee table where you left them last night." He rolled his eyes, taking himself and his cake mixture back to his workshop.

"Thanks!" I yelled at him before darting across the landing in a complete fluster and found my car keys under a pile of weekly glossies. "Hiding again..." I muttered to myself, grabbing my tan belt, Converse and laptop. I made my way downstairs, finding Niall in his workshop spooning cake mixture into various tins.

"You need to tidy that room, Harry. It's a fucking mess." He complained.

"Yeah, yeah, later! I can't be brilliant at everything." I scooped my phone up from the chunky table and dunked my finger in Niall's cake mixture. 

Yes, my personal organization skills were pretty shocking, especially since I was an interior designer, who spent all day coordinating and organizing. 

"Get out!" Niall batted my hand away with his spoon. "Why do you need your car, anyway?" He asked, leaning down to smooth the mixture over, his tongue resting on his bottom lip in concentration.

"I have the first consultation in The Surrey Hills, some country mansion..." I put my belt through the belt loops of my black jeans, slipped my feet into my white Converse and presented myself to the wall mirror.

"I thought you only did jobs in the city?" He asked from behind me.

I ran my hand through my short brown hair for a few seconds, flicking it from one side to another but gave up, piling it up. My dark green eyes looked tired and lacked their usual sparkle, a result, no doubt, of burning the candle at both ends. I only moved in with Niall a month ago after splitting with Nicholas. We were behaving like a couple of university students and my liver was screaming for a rest.

"I do. The country sector is Patrick's domain, I don't know how I got landed with this. I'm not a specialist in old English and all things proper..." I gave Niall a kiss on the cheek. "It's going to be painful, I know it. Luv ya!"

"Ditto, see you later." Niall laughed, without lifting his face from his workstation. "Don't forget your P's and Q's!"

**ººº**

Despite my lateness, I drove my little Mini with my usual care and consideration to my office on Bruton Street, being reminded why I tubed it every day when I spent ten minutes driving around looking for a parking space.

I burst into the office and glanced at the clock, seeing it was eight forty. I was ten minutes late, not as bad as I thought. I passed through Tom and Victoria's empty desks on the way to my own, spying Patrick in his office as I landed on my chair. Unpacking my laptop, I noticed that a package had been left for me.

"Morning, flower!" Patrick's low boom greeted me as he perched on the edge of my desk, followed by the customary creak under his weight. "What have you got there?"

"Morning, it's the new fabric range from Miller's! You like?" I stroke some of the luxurious material.

"Wonderful!" He feigned interest. "Don't let Irene clap her eyes on it, I've just liquidated most of my assets to fund the new soft furnishings at home!"

"Oh!" I gave him a sympathetic face. "Where is everyone?"

"Victoria has the day off and Tom's having a nightmare with Mister and Miss Baines. It's just you, me and Sal today, flower!" He took his comb out of his inside pocket and ran it through his silver mop.

"I've got a midday appointment at The Manor..." I reminded him, but I knew he couldn't have forgotten since country pads were supposed to be his realm. "Why am I going, Patrick?" I had to ask considering I had never worked on a country property before and I was not sure I had the insight for old-fashioned and traditional.

I had worked for Rococo Union for four years and it was made clear that I was employed to expand the business into the modern sector. With luxury apartments flying up all over London, Patrick and Tom, with their specialty of traditional design, were missing out. When it took off and the workload got too much for me, he employed Victoria.

"That would be because they asked for you, flower..." He pushed himself to his feet, my desk creaking in protest again. Patrick ignored it but I winced at it. He had to lose some weight or stop sitting on my desk because it wouldn't take the strain for much longer.

"Me?" I whispered to myself.

_So, they asked for me? Why ever would they do that? My portfolio holds nothing that will reflect traditional design; nothing at all. I can't help but think that this is a complete waste of my time. Patrick or Tom should be going._

"Oh, Lusso launch! The developer is really pushing the boat out with this party in the penthouse. You've done an amazing job, Harry." Patrick's eyebrows nodded with his head and I blushed.

"Thank you..." I was deadly proud of myself and my work at Lusso, my greatest achievement in my short career.

Based on St Katharine Docks and with prices ranging from three million for a basic apartment to ten million for the penthouse, we were in the super-rich realm. The design specification was as the name suggested, Italian luxury. I sourced all materials, furniture, and art from Italy and enjoyed a week there organizing the shipping schedule. Next Friday was the launch party, but I knew they had already sold the penthouse and six other apartments, so it was more of a showing off party.

"I've cleared my diary so I can do the final checks once the cleaners are out..." I flicked the pages of my diary to the upcoming Friday and scribbled across the page again.

"Good boy, I've told Victoria to be there at five. It's her first launch so you need to give her a heads up. I'll be there at seven with Tom."

"Sure."

Patrick returned to his office and I opened my email, sifting through to delete or respond where necessary.

**ººº**

At eleven o'clock, I packed my laptop up and poked my head into Patrick's office door. He was engrossed with something on his computer.

"I'm off now!" I said, but he just waved his hand in the air in acknowledgment. I walked through the office to see Sally fighting with the photocopier. "See you later, Sal!"

"Bye, Harry!" She replied but she was too busy removing the paper jam to acknowledge me with her face. The girl was a calamity.

I walked out into the May sunshine and headed for my car. Friday mid-morning traffic was a nightmare, but once I was out of the city, the drive onwards was pretty straightforward. The roof was down, Adele was keeping me company and it was Friday. A little drive in the countryside was a lovely way to finish my working week.

My sat-nav instructed me to pull off of the main road and onto a little lane, where I found myself in front of the biggest pair of gates I had ever seen. A gold plaque on a pillar stating the word 'The Manor'.

_Bloody hell!_

I took my sunglasses off, looking past the gates and down the gravel road that seemed to go for miles. There was no sign of a house, just a tree-lined road that I couldn't see the end of. I got out of my car and walked up to the gates, giving them a little jiggle, but they didn't budge. I stood for a few moments, wondering what to do.

 **"You need to press the intercom."** I nearly jumped out of my skin when the low rumble of a voice came from nowhere, stabbing at the silent country air. I looked around me but I only noticed that I was definitely on my own.

"Hello?"

**"Over here."**

I did a full three-sixty turn and saw the intercom further down the lane and realized that I drove straight past it. I ran over, pressing the button to announce myself.

"I am Harry Styles from Rococo Union."

**"I know."**

_He does?_   _How?_

I looked around and spotted a camera installed on the gate, then the shift of metal broke the countryside peace around me. The gates started opening and I ran back to my car. I jumped in my Mini and crept forward as the gates swung open, all the time wondering how I would remove the glass of port and cigar that were, quite clearly, wedged up that miserable sod's arse. I started looking less forward to the appointment by the minute. Posh country folk and their posh country mansions were definitely not in my area of expertise.

Once the gates were fully opened, I drove through and continued on the tree-lined, gravel driveway that seemed to go on forever. With mature Elm trees lying on either side of the lane at regular and even intervals, you would think they had been strategically placed to conceal what lied beyond.

After a mile or so of sheltered driving, I pulled into a perfectly round courtyard, taking my sunglasses off again. I walked into the huge house that loomed centrally and demanded attention. It was superb but I was even more apprehensive, my enthusiasm for the appointment dampening further by the minute.

The black doors adorned with highly polished gold decor were flanked by four giant bay windows, with pillars in carved stone guarding them. Giant limestone blocks made up the structure of the mansion, with lush bay trees lining the face. The fountain in the center of the courtyard, spraying out jets of illuminated water, tops the sight off. All very imposing.

I stopped the car, cutting the engine and fumbled with the door release to get out of my car. Standing and holding on to the top of my car door, I looked up at the magnificent building and immediately thought that it had to be a mistake since the place was in amazing condition _._

The lawns were greener than green, the house looked like it received daily scrub downs and even the gravel looked like it received a daily rinsing. If the exterior was anything to go by, then I couldn't imagine the inside needing any work.

I looked up at the dozens of sash bay windows, seeing plush curtains hanging at them all and I felt tempted to call Patrick to check if I had the right address, but then I remembered it did say 'The Manor' on the gates. And that miserable sod on the other end of the intercom was obviously expecting me.

While I was pondering my next move, the doors opened, revealing the biggest man I had ever seen until then. He sauntered out to the top of the steps and I physically flinched at the sight of him, stepping back slightly _._

He had a black suit on, specially made for sure, because that was no regular size, a black shirt, and a black tie. His shaved head looked like it was buffed to a shine, and wraparound sunglasses concealed his face. If I could build a mental image of who I would have expected to walk out of the doors, he, most definitely, would not be it. The man was a mountain and I was just standing there, gawking at him. I was suddenly slightly concerned that I've turned up at some mafia control center and I searched my brain trying to remember if I transferred my rape alarm to my new handbag.

"Mister Styles?" He drawled and I wilted under his massive presence, putting my hand up in a nervous wave gesture.

"Hi..." I whispered, my voice laced with all of the apprehension I truly felt.

"This way." He rumbled deeply, giving a sharp nod with his head and turning to walk back into the mansion.

I deliberated on cutting and running off, but the daring and dangerous side of me was curious about what laid beyond those doors. I grabbed my bag, shut my car door and checked for my rape alarm as I walked towards the house, only to find out that I've left it in my other bag, but I carried on anyway _._ Pure curiosity had me walking up the steps and crossing the threshold into a huge entrance hall. I gazed around the vast area and I was immediately impressed by the grand, centrally positioned, curved staircase that led up to the first floor.

My fears were confirmed and the place was immaculate.

The décor was opulent, lush and very intimidating. Deep blues, taupes with hints of gold and original woodwork, along with the rich mahogany parquet floor, made the place striking and massively extravagant. It was exactly how I would have expected it to be, and nowhere near my design style. But then again, looking around, why any interior designer would be there was becoming more and more confusing. Patrick said they requested me personally so I would be inclined to think that they wanted to modernize the place, but that would've been before I got a glimpse of the exterior and the interior too, seeing the décor suited the period building. It was in perfect condition so why was I there was still a question with no answer.

The Big Guy headed off to the right, leaving me to scuttle off after him and he led me past the central staircase, towards the back of the Mansion.

I heard the hum of conversation and glanced to my right, noticing many people sitting at various tables, eating, drinking and chatting. Waiters were serving food and drinks, and the distinct voices of The Rat Pack were purring in the background.

I frowned, but then I clicked that it was a hotel, a posh country hotel. My shoulders sagged slightly in relief with the conclusion but it still didn't explain why I was there. I was led past some toilets and then a bar. A few men were sat on bar stools cracking jokes and teasing a young woman, who had, apparently, returned from the lavatory with some toilet paper stuck to her heel. She playfully slapped the main instigator on the shoulder, scolding him while laughing along with them.

It was all beginning to make sense to me. I wanted to say something to the mountain of a man leading me to God only knew where _,_  but he hadn't looked back once to check if I was following. He didn't say much so I suspected he wouldn't answer me if I did speak.

We continued past two more closed doors and judging by the clanking of pots, I assumed one was the kitchen. He then led me into a summer room; a massive, light, stunningly lavish space that was sectioned off into individual seating areas by the positioning of the sofa, big armchairs, and tables. Floor to ceiling bi-fold doors spanned the complete face of the room, leading to a yorkstone patio and a vast lawn area. It was really quite awe-inspiring.

I inwardly gasped when I spotted a glass building with a swimming pool andit was just incredible.I shuddered, thinking how much the nightly rate was considering it had to be five stars, probably more.

Once we passed through the summer room, I was led down a corridor until the Big Guy stopped outside a wooden paneled door.

"This is Mister Tomlinson's office." He rumbled, knocking on the door surprisingly gently, given his mammoth size.

"The manager?" I asked.

"The owner..." He replied, opening the door and striding through. "Come in."

I hesitated on the threshold, watching as the big guy strode into the room ahead of me. I eventually forced my feet into action, moving into the room, while gazing around at the equally luxurious surroundings of Mister Tomlinson's office.


	2. ღ II.

"Louis, Mister Styles, Rococo Union." Big Guy announced.

"Perfect. Thanks, John."

I was dragged from my struck state, and thrown straight into high alert, straightening my back. I couldn't see him, he was obscured by the big guy's massive frame, but the smooth voice got me frozen on the spot and it certainly didn't sound like it was coming from a cigar smoking, overweight, wax-jacket-wearing Lord of the Manor.

Big Guy, or John, moved to the side, giving me my first glimpse of Mister Louis Tomlinson.

_Oh good God._

My heart crashed against my chest bone and my nervous breathing rocketed to damn right dangerous levels. I suddenly felt light headed and my mouth ignored my brain's instructions to, at least, say something. I just stood there, staring at the man, while he stared back at me. His husky voice halted me in my tracks but the sight of him, that just turned me into a non-responsive, quivering wreck.

He rose from his chair, my gaze traveling up with him until he was standing at full height. His white shirt was casually rolled at the sleeves but still wearing a black tie, loosely knotted and hanging down the front of a broad chest. He made his way around his massive desk and slowly walked towards me, so I could take in the full impact of him.

That man was so perfect I was almost in pain.

His brown hair looked like he was half attempted to get it into some semblance of a style but gave up. His eyes sludgy blue but bright and way too intense, and the stubble covering his square jaw did nothing to conceal the handsome features beneath it. His skin was lightly tanned and just perfect. He looked devastating.

_Lord of the Manor?_

"Mister Tomlinson." His hand came towards me, but I couldn't persuade my arm to raise and clasp his outstretched offering.

_He's beautiful._

When I didn't offer my hand, he reached forward and clasped both of my shoulders, then slowly leaned in to kiss me, his lips brushing lightly over my burning cheek, making me tense all over _._  Hearing my pulse throbbing in my ears, and even though it was completely inappropriate for a business meeting, I did nothing to stop him. I was all over the place.

"It's a pleasure..." He whispered in my ear, which only served to make me moan slightly. He probably felt my tenseness which it was not difficult considering I was rigid because his grip eased up and he lowered his face to my level, looking me directly in the eyes. "Are you okay?" He asked, one side of his mouth lifting into a semblance of a smile and I noticed a single frown line across his forehead.

I snapped myself out of my ridiculous inertness, suddenly aware that I still hadn't said anything.

_Has he noticed my reaction to him? What about the Big Guy?_

I glanced over, seeing the Big Guy standing motionless, glasses still in place, but I knew instantly that his eyes were on me. I mentally shook myself and stepped back, away from Tomlinson and his potent grasp making his hands fall to his side.

"Hi..." I coughed to clear my throat. "Harry. My name is Harry." I offered him my hand but he was unhurried in accepting it like he was unsure whether it was safe to but he shook it, eventually.

His hand was clammy and slightly shaky as he squeezed mine firmly. Sparks fizzed and a curious look flat across his stunning face as we both retracted our hands in shock.

"Harry..." He tried my name on his lips and it took all of my strength not to moan again and I just kept thinking that he should just stop talking, immediately.

"Yes, Harry..." I confirmed and he just seemed to be the one who was off in his own little nirvana while I was becoming increasingly aware of my rising temperature. He suddenly seemed to come to his senses, shoving his hands in his trouser pockets as he shook his head slightly, taking some steps back.

"Thanks, John..." He nodded to the Big Guy, who smiled slightly, softening his hard features, then left, leaving mealone with the man, who rendered me speechless, motionless, and pretty much useless.He nodded towards two brown leather couches, positioned opposite each other in the bay window, with a large coffee table sitting between them. "Please, take a seat. Can I get you a drink?" He dragged his gaze from mine, walking towards a cabinet with various bottles of liquor lined up on top.

_He surely doesn't mean alcohol, right? It's midday. Even by my standards, it's too early._

I watched as he hovered at the cabinet for a few moments before turning to face me again, looking at me expectantly.

"No, thank you..." I shook my head as I spoke, just in case the words wouldn't come out so steady as I wanted.

"Water?" He asked, that smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

_Oh God, don't look at me._

"Please..." I gave him a nervous smile. He collected two bottles of water from the integrated fridge and turned back towards me, it was then that I persuaded my shaky legs to carry me across the room to the sofa.

"Harry?" His voice rolled across me, causing me to falter en-route and I turned to face him, which was a probably a bad idea.

"Yes?"

"Glass?"

"Yes, please..." I smiled. I settled myself on the leather couch, retrieving my folder and phone from my bag to place them on the table in front of me, noticing how shaky my hands were.

 _He must think I'm so unprofessional._   _Get a grip, Styles!_

I started making notes as he strolled back over, placing my water and a glass on the table. He sat down on the opposite sofa and crossed one leg over the other, his ankle resting on his thigh while he stretched back, making himself comfortable.The silence fell between us as a scream while I wrote anything and everything to avoid looking up at him. I knew I had to look at the man and say something at some point but all standard inquiry questions ran, screaming and shouting, from my brain.

"So, where do we start?" He asked, forcing me to look up and acknowledge his question.

His eyes watched me over the rim of his bottle as he rose it to those lovely lips and I broke the eye contact, reaching forward to pour some water into my glass. Struggling to rein in my nerves, I could still feel his eyes on me.

It was truly awkward, I had never been so affected by a man.

"I guess you should tell me why I'm here..." I told, looking back up at him as I took my glass from the table.

"Really?" He said quietly and I noticed the frown line again. Even with that, he still looked beautiful, like always.

"You requested me by name?" I decided to ask.

"Yes." He replied simply, smiling again at me, and I had to look away or I knew I would lose the ability to speak again.

"So, can I ask why?" I took a sip of my water to moisten my dry mouth and cleared my throat before returning my gaze to his potent stare.

"You can." He uncrossed his leg, leaning forward to place his bottle on the table and rested his forearms on his knees, but he said no more.

_Is he not going to elaborate on that?_

"Okay..." I whispered, struggling to maintain eye contact. "Why?"

"I've heard great things about you." He explained and I could feel my face burning up.

"Thank you, I guess... So, why am I here?"

"Well, to design." He laughed and I felt stupid, but slightly irritated as well.

"Design what exactly?" I asked. "From what I've seen, everything is pretty perfect..." I added and he surely didn't seem to want to modernize the lovely place. I knew it wasn't my forte but I knew class when I saw it.

"Thank you..." He said softly and I felt my cheeks turning red. "Do you have your portfolio with you?"

"Of course..." I replied, reaching into my bag wondering why he wanted to look at something that was beyond me since it didn't reflect anything like the place.

I placed it on the table in front of him and expected him to drag it over to his side, but to my horror, he stood in one fluid movement and walked around to me, lowering his lovely lean body onto the sofa next to me. He smelled divine, all freshwater and minty.The smell was so good that I had to hold my breath so I wouldn't freak out. He leaned over and opened the file, without even picking it up.

"You're very young to be such an accomplished designer..." He mused, slowly turning the pages of my portfolio.

He was right, I was. It was thanks to Patrick for giving me free rein on the expansion of his business.

In four years, I fell out of college, picked up a job in an established design company that had the financial stability but lacked the new freshness in modern ideas, and made a name for myself on the back of it. I was lucky and I appreciated Patrick's faith in my capabilities. That, coupled with my contract at Lusso, was the only reason I was where I was at the age of twenty-six.

I looked down at his lovely hand, his wrist adorned with one beautiful gold and graphite Rolex.

"How old are you?" I blurted, without even thinking about what I was saying. My brain was like a scrambled egg and I knew I blushed a sharp shade of red.

_I should just keep my mouth shut like where the hell did that come from?_

He looked at me intently, his blue eyes burning into mine.

"Twenty-one." He answered, completely pokerfaced like if I was supposed to know. I scoffed mildly and his eyebrows jumped up questioningly.

"Sorry..." I muttered, turning back to the table, feeling flustered. I heard him exhale heavily as his lovely hand reached back down to my portfolio to start turning the pages again, his left hand resting on the edge of the table and I noticed no ring.

_Is he not married? How can that be?_

"This, I like a lot." He pointed to the photographs of Lusso.

"I'm not sure my works on Lusso would fit in here..." I said quietly since it was way too modern, luxurious, yes, but too modern _._ He looked up at me.

"You're right, I'm just saying... I really like it."

"Thank you..." I felt my color deepen as he studied me thoughtfully before returning to my portfolio. I made a grab for my water, resisting the temptation to chuck it down my front to cool me off but very nearly did it when his trouser-clad thigh brushed against my covered knee. I shifted quickly to break the contact, glancing out the corner of my eye to see a small smirk breaking at the edge of his mouth. I knew he was doing it on purpose, it was too much. "Do you have a toilet?" I asked as I placed my glass back on the table and stood up, needing to go and compose myself, I was a ruffled mess. He rose from the couch swiftly, moving back to let me pass.

"Through the summer room and then on your left." He said with a smile, knowing very well he was affecting me and he was enjoying it. The way he was smiling at me, knowingly, I even bet with myself that he had that sort of reaction from everyone all the time.

"Thank you..." I whispered, edging out of the small gap between the table and the sofa, my task hampered as he made no attempt to give me more space, forming me to virtually brush past him and that had me holding my breath until I was clear of his body.

I walked towards the doors, feeling his eyes on me, literally feeling them burning a hole through my skin. I rolled my neck to try and rid myself of the goosebumps jumping onto my nape. Stumbling out of his office, I headed down the corridor before wandering through the summer room and staggering into the ridiculously posh lavatories. I braced myself over the sink and looked in the mirror.

"Jesus, Harry. Pull it together!" I scorned my reflection.

"Met the Lord, have we?"

I swang around and found a very attractive businessman, faffing with his hair at the other end of the room. I had no idea what to say but he just confirmed what I already suspected, Louis really did have that effect on everyone. When my brain failed to deliver on anything suitable to say, I just smiled. He returned my smile, amused and knowing the reason for my flustered state before disappearing from the toilets. If I wasn't feeling so hot and nervous, I would be embarrassed at my obvious condition, but I was hot and very nervous, so I brushed off my humiliation, taking some steady breaths and washed my clammy hands with the Noble Isle hand wash.

I kept thinking that I should have brought my bagso I could just go away and he wouldn't know but I didn't. My mouth was still dry and my lips were suffering as a consequence, while I hoped he wouldn't notice. I still needed to get back there, get the specification so I could be gone.

My heart was pleading for some let-up and I felt completely ashamed of myself. I left the toilets, making my way back to Tomlinson's office, but everything that crossed my mind was that I didn't know if I was going to be able to work for that man, feeling way too affected by him _._

I knocked before I entered, finding him still sitting on the couch looking over my portfolio. He looked up and smiled, making me feel more uncomfortable and with the thought that I had to leave immediately. I couldn't possibly work with that man, every molecule of intelligence and brain power I possessed had been zapped from my body by his presence and, worse of all, he knew it _._

I gave myself a mental pep talk, making my way over to the table, ignoring the fact that his eyes just kept following my every move. He leaned back on the sofa in a gesture for me to squeeze past, but I didn't, I just took a seat on the opposite sofa, perching on the edge and he gave me a questioning look.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine..." I answered shortly. "Would you like to show me where your intended project is so we can start discussing requirements?" I forced the confidence in my voice deciding that I was just going to follow the protocol. I had absolutely no intention of taking the contract on, but I couldn't just walk out, as tempting as it was.He rose his eyebrows, clearly surprised by my change of approach.

"Sure." He got up from the sofa, striding over to his desk to collect his phone while I gathered my things, putting them into my bag and followed his gesture to lead the way.

He quickly overtook me, opening the door and performed an exaggerated gentlemanly bow as he held the door open. I smiled politely, even though I knew he was playing with me, and exited into the corridor, heading towards the summer room. I stiffened with a gasp when he placed a hand on the small of my back to guide me.

_What's he playing at?_

I tried my hardest to ignore it but you would have to be dead not to notice the effect that man was having on me and I knew he knew it. I felt my skin burning all over, almost certainly warming his palm and I couldn't get my breathing under control as walking was taking every bit of coordination and effort I almost didn't possess anymore. I was acting pathetically and it was bloody obvious he was enjoying the reactions he was drawing from me, it was probably all quite amusing to him.

Annoyed with myself, I walked a little quicker to break the contact of his hand from my back, stopping when I reached the point of two possible routes and he quickly reached me, pointing out across the lawns to the tennis courts.

"Do you play?" He asked and I laughed, but it was actually a comfortable laugh.

"No, I don't..." I was just wishing I could run away, but since I couldn't, if they gave me a bat, racket, or a ball, then I would just embarrass myself once more. The corners of his mouth twitched into a grin at my reaction, bolstering the blue of his eyes and lengthening his generous lashes. I smiled, shaking my head in wonder at this glorious man. "Do you?" I asked and he continued through to the entrance hall, with me following.

"I don't mind the odd game but I'm more of extreme sports kinda guy." He stopped and I halted with him, noticing he looked ridiculously fit and toned.

"What sort of extreme sports?" I rose my eyebrow.

"Snowboarding, mainly, but I've tried my hand at white water rafting, bungee jumping, and skydiving. I'm a bit of an adrenaline junky. I like to feel the blood pumping." He watched me as he spoke, making me feel scrutinized.

 _You would have to anesthetize me before you got me doing any of his blood pumping pastimes._   _I'll stick to a run every so often. Or a run in every six months._

"Extreme..." I decided to say, studying the magnificent man with twenty-one years.

"Very extreme." He confirmed quietly and my breath caught again as I closed my eyes, mentally yelling at myself for being such a loser. "Shall we continue?" He asked and I could hear humor in his voice so I opened my eyes to be met by his penetrating, blue stare.

"Yes, please..." I whispered, not trusting my voice anymore, wishing he would just stop looking at me like that.

He half-smiled again and walked into the bar, greeting the man I saw earlier by clapping him on the shoulders but thewoman was no longer there. That was also two more men, very attractive, young, in their probably late twenties, perched on bar stools, drinking bottles of beer.

"Guys, this is Harry. Harry, this is Sam Kelt and Drew Davies."

"Good afternoon!" Drew drawled,a bit miserable. His appearance, handsome in a rugged kind of way, and character, told me he was smart, confident and a business type. His black hair was perfectly styled, his suit pristine, his eyes shrewd.

"Hi..." I smiled politely.

"Welcome to the pleasure dome!" Sam laughed, raising his bottle. "Can I buy you a drink?"

I noticed Tomlinson shaking his head lightly on an eye roll, making Sam grin. I couldn't help but notice how Tomlinson was the polar opposite of Drew, all casual and laid back, in old jeans, a Superdry t-shirt, and converse. A cheeky face, complemented by one dimple on his left cheek. His blue eyes twinkling, adding to his cheekiness, and his mousey brown hair all over the place.

"No, I'm fine, thanks..." I answered and he nodded at Tomlinson.

"Louis?"

"No, I'm good. I'm just giving Harry a tour of the extension. He will be working on the interiors." He said, smiling at me and I quietly scoffed to myself.

_I have nothing to do with it, he's jumping the gun a bit. We didn't even discuss rates, briefs or anything, for that matter._

"About time, there are never any rooms available!" Drew grumbled into his bottle.

_Why have I never heard of this place?_

"How was the boarding in Cortina, my man?" Sam asked and Tomlinson perched on another stool.

"Amazing. The Italian way of skiing follows pretty closely to their laid-back lifestyle!" He smiled broadly, the first proper full beam smile since I laid eyes on him, all big, white and lush, his eyes almost closing, forming crinkles under them. All I could think was how the man was a God. "I got up late, found a great mountain, ran the slopes until my legs buckled, had a siesta, ate late and started all over again the next day..." He said to us all but with his eyes fixed on me and I couldn't help but return his beam.

"You're good?" I asked because it was the only thing that came to mind, even though I imagined he was good at everything.

"Very good..." He confirmed quietly while I nodded my approval and, for a few seconds, our eyes locked on each other, but I was the first to break it. "Shall we?" He asked me, pushing himself up from the stool and gesturing towards the exit.

"Yes, of course..." I smiled because I was supposedly there to work, after all, and all I achieved was a hot flush and an establishment of extreme sports, making me feel like I was in a trance.

From the moment I pulled up to those gates, I knew it wasn't going to be an average day to day meeting and Iwas right _._  In the four years I had been visiting people in their homes, workplaces and new builds, I never came across a Louis Tomlinson. And I probably never would again, it was undoubtedly a good job.

I turned to the two guys at the bar, smiling my goodbye, prompting them to raise their bottles before they continued with their conversation. I walked towards the door that led back to the entrance hall, feeling him close behind me, so close that I could actually smell him. I closed my eyes, sending a small prayer to God to get me through it quickly, with at least a bit of dignity intact. He was just way too intense and it was throwing my senses in a million different directions.

"So, now for the main feature..." He began to climb the wide staircase and I just followed him, gazing around the colossal void that led to a huge gallery landing. "These are the private rooms." He said, pointing to various doors that led off to the landing. I followed, admiring his lovely backside, thinking he possibly had the sexiest walk I ever had the privilege of seeing. When I dragged my eyes from his tidy rear, I saw that there were at least twenty doors, evenly spaced and leading into rooms beyond. He led me until we reached another grand staircase that stretched to another floor. At the foot of the stairs, I saw a beautiful stained glass window and an archway leading to another wing. "This is the extension..." He guided me through to a new section of the mansion. "This is where I need your help..." He added, halting at the mouth of a corridor that led to a further ten rooms.

"This is all new?" I asked.

"Yes, they are all shells at the moment but I am sure you'll remedy that. Let me show you."

I was way past shocked when he took my hand, tugging me down the corridor to the very last door. His hand was still clammy and I was sure mine was trembling in his grip. The arched brow on a slight grin that he flashed me, told me I was right. There was some sort of supercharged current flowing through us and it was making me shudder.

He opened the door, directing me into a freshly plastered room. It was vast and the new windows were sympathetic to the existing property. Whoever built it, did an excellent job.

"Are they all this big?" I asked, flexing my fingers until he released my hand.

"Yes." He answered and I walked into the center of the room, looking around, seeing the great size it had _._ Then, I noticed another door.

"En-suite?" I asked again as I wandered over and entered.

"Yes."

The room was huge, especially by hotel standards. A lot could be done with them and I would be excited if I wasn't so concerned with what was expected of me since it was no Lusso. I exited the bathroom, finding Tomlinson leaning against the wall, his hands in his jeans pockets, his eyes all hooded and dark as he watched me.

The man was sex on legs. I even was almost disappointed that traditionally didn't feature in my design history and it was of no interest to me at all.

"I'm not sure I'm the right person for this job..." I sounded regretful, because I was, regretful that I couldn't pull myself together so I could help with the project.

He looked at me, those sludgy eyes stabbing at my defenses, making me shift on my feet.

"I think you have what I want..." He said quietly.

"I've always dealt in modern luxury..." I looked around the room again, slowly dropping my eyes back to him. "I'm sure you would be happier working with Patrick or Tom. They deal with our period projects..." I explained and he seemed to consider for a second but he shook his head, pushing himself away from the wall.

"But I want you."

"Why?"

"You look like you will be very good..." He explained as an involuntary rush of breath escaped my lips at his words.

I was not sure what to make of that statement and I wondered if he meant for my design skills or something else because the way he was looking at me, told me it was the second one and I could clearly see that he was a bit bloody confident.

"What's your brief?" I asked since all my other words seemed to fail and a smile tickled the corners of his mouth.

"Sensual, intimate, luxurious, stimulating, invigorating..." He paused to gauge my reaction and I frowned because it was not the usual brief since relaxing, functional, or practical were not mentioned at all.

"Okay, anything, in particular, I should allow for?" I asked, not really knowing why I was bothering with those questions.

"A big bed and lots of wall hangings." He stated on a husk.

"What sort of wall hangings?"

"Big, wooden ones. Oh, and the lighting needs to suit."

"Need to suit what?" I couldn't help the confusion in my tone and he smiled as I dissolved on the spot in a hot pool of hormones.

"Well, the brief, of course."

"Yes, of course..." I looked up, seeing chunky beams spanning the ceiling. The building was new, but they were no faux beams. "Do all of the rooms have them?" I returned my eyes to him.

"Yes, they're essential..." His low and seductive voice made me think that I was not sure how much more I could take so I grabbed my client briefing pad to start making notes.

"Are there any particular colors I should work to or against?"

"No, knock yourself out..." He answered and I flicked my head up to look at him.

"Excuse me?" I frowned and he smiled.

"Go for it."

Well, I wouldn't be knocking myself out on anything because he wouldn't be seeing me there again but I should get as much information as possible so I could pass it to Patrick or Tom, with at least a bit of willingness.

"You mentioned a big bed. Any particular type?" I asked, trying to remain professional.

"No, just a very big one!" I faltered mid-note, slowly looking up to find him watching me, making me stupidly nervous.

"What about soft furnishings?"

"Yes, lots." He started to walk towards me. "I like your outfit..." He whispered.

_Holy shit, I need to leave as soon as possible!_

"Thanks!" I squeaked, walking to the door. "I have everything I need for now..." I didn't, but I couldn't stay there any longer, the man was like a sensory drain on me. "I'll get some designs together..." I exited into the corridor, heading straight for the gallery landing.

_Bloody hell, when I woke up this morning, this was the last thing I expected. A posh country mansion, with a painfully handsome owner to round the package off, is not part of my regular daily routine and I never thought it would be._

I found my way to the top of the stairs, bolting down at a stupid rate. I hit the parquet floor, wondering how the hell I got there.

"I look forward to hearing from you, Harry." His husky voice rolled over my flesh as he joined me at the bottom of the stairs, putting his hand out. I took it in mine for fear that if I didn't, he may well clench me and place his lips on me again.

"You have a lovely hotel..." I said genuinely and I was beginning to wish that my handbag contents consisted of spare knickers, a blindfold, earplugs, and some armor, I would've been more prepared.

His eyebrows shot up as he kept holding my hand and slowly shook it, the buzz traveling through our joined hands made me tense all over.

"I have a lovely hotel." He repeated thoughtfully. The buzz transformed into a full-on jolt of electricity and I retracted my hand under reflex. He looked at me questioningly. "It really was nice to meet you, Harry." He emphasized the reality.

"You too..." I practically whispered.

I watched as his eyes darted briefly and he started chewing his bottom lip. His shifting body eventually moved over to the center table of the entrance hall as he pulled out a single calla lily from the huge spray dominating the piece of furniture. He studied it for a few moments before he held it out to me.

"Understated elegance..." He said softly and I didn't know why, maybe because my brain was mush, but I took it.

"Thank you..." I whispered and he put his abandoned hand in his pocket, watching me closely.

"You are more than welcome..." His gaze traveled from my eyes to my lips and I took a few steps back.

"There you are!" A woman walked out of the bar and towards Tomlinson. Attractive, with blonde curly mid-length layered hair and red pouty lips. "Are you ready?" She kissed his cheek.


	3. ღ III.

I assumed she had to be the wife, but, again, there was no ring, so maybe she was the girlfriend. Either one, I was completely stunned when he didn't take his eyes off of me, making no attempt to answer the question so the woman turned to see what was stealing his attention and eyed me suspiciously. I didn't like her instantly and it had nothing to do with Tomlinson, who the woman was draped all over.

"And you are?" The blonde purred.

I shifted uncomfortably, feeling like I had been captured doing something naughty.

 _Well, I have._   _I've been having extreme unwelcome reactions to his girlfriend and suddenly an unreasonable pang of jealousy stabs at me._   _How ridiculous!_

I smiled sweetly.

"Just leaving. Goodbye." I turned, practically running to the door and scuttling down the steps. I jumped into my car, letting out an almighty breath and when my lungs thanked me for the welcome air, I flopped back in my seat and started to do some breathing regulating exercises.

I thought about having to pass the project to Tom but then I laughed at my stupid idea. Tom was gay too and I was sure he would be just as affected by Tomlinson as I was. Even knowing he was taken, and dating a girl, I still couldn't work with him.

I shook my head in disbelief and started my car. As I drove down the gravel driveway, I looked in my rearview mirror at the imposing Manor getting smaller and smaller behind me and there, stood at the top of the steps watching me leave, Louis Tomlinson.

**ººº**

"There you are, I was just going to call you!" Niall exclaimed without looking up from placing a figurine on the wedding cake he had been decorating. His tongue was hanging out, resting on his bottom lip, making me smile. "Do you get yourself fancy to go out?" He still hadn't looked up which was good. I was sure my face would give away any attempt to feign coolness and I was still slightly flustered after my lunchtime meeting with a certain Lord of the Manor. I didn't even have the energy to get ready and go out.

"Shall we save ourselves for tomorrow?" I tried and I knew that would mean a bottle of wine on the sofa but at least I could put my PJ's on all day and chill out. After the day I had, winding down my racing mind was paramount. I had a headache and lacked the ability to concentrate all day.

"Absolutely! Let me finish this cake, then I'm all yours!" He swiveled the fruitcake on the stand, dabbing edible glue onto the icing. "How was your day in the countryside?"

_He really needed to ask, didn't he? What do I say?_

I expected a pompous country bumpkin but I got one devastatingly handsome, suited God. He requested me by name, his touch turned me to molten lava, I couldn't look in his eyes for fear of passing out, and he liked my outfit. Although, I couldn't just say that.

"Interesting..." I decided to say and he looked up.

"Do tell!" He prompted, his eyes sparkling as he bent back down, his tongue popping out of his lips again.

"It wasn't what I expected..." I flicked a piece of imaginary lint off of my navy shirt in an attempt to appear casual.

"Leave out what you expected and tell me what you got!" He stopped trying to fix the husband and wife to the top of the cake to pay more attention to me. His eyes narrowed at me and he had icing on the end of his nose, but I ignored it.

"The owner..." I shrugged, fiddling with the bottom of my shirt.

"The owner?" He asked, his lips twitching.

"Yes. Louis Tomlinson, the owner." I flicked more imaginary lint from my shirt.

"Louis Tomlinson, the owner." He mimicked me, pointing to one of the flowery tub chairs in his workshop. "Sit, now! Why are you trying to sound cool? You're failing miserably, by the way! Your cheeks are the color of that icing!" He pointed to a fire engine cake on the metal shelf stand. "Why was the owner, Louis Tomlinson, not what you expected?"  _Because he is steaming hot!_  I flopped onto the chair with my work bag on my lap while Niall stood tapping his palm with the handle of his spatula. He finally walked over, sitting in the opposite chair of mine. "Tell me!" He pressed, knowing there was something to tell and I just shrugged.

"The man is attractive and he knows it..." I saw his eyes lighting up as the spatula taps became faster on his hand.

_He wants more drama. He loves it._

When Nicholas and I split up, Niall was the first on the scene to soak up the spectacle as a supporting friend. No one asked him anything but he was always there anyway. It was mutual, very amicable, and really rather boring. No plates were flying and no neighbors called the police.

"How old?" He asked keenly and that one got me since I wasstill mortified that I blurted such an inappropriate question during a business meeting. My embarrassment wasn't even worthwhile as he was obviously playing with me during the full time.

"He said twenty-one, but he's at least ten years past that..." I shrugged.

"You asked him?!" Niall's jaw almost hit his lap.

"Yes, in a moment of pure brain-to-mouth filter malfunction, the question did slip, I'm not proud..." I muttered. "I made such a fool of myself, Niall! A man has never done that to me before, but this one, well, you would have been ashamed of me!" I explained and a sharp shot of laughter flew from his mouth.

"Harry, I need to teach you some social skills!" He fell back in his chair, starting to lick the icing from his spatula.

"Please do..." I grumbled, putting my hand out to him and he passed me the spatula so I started to lick at the edges. I was living with Niall for a month and existed on wine, icing sugar, and cake mixture. A loss of appetite after a break-up, I definitely didn't have. "He is very self-assured!" I said between licks.

"As in?"

"Oh, this man knew he was sparking a reaction in me, I must have been painful to watch. I was pathetic..."

"That good?" He asked and I shook my head in dismay.

"Ridiculously!"

"He's probably shit in bed!" Niall mused. "All the hot ones are. What's your brief?"

"Ten new bedrooms in the extension. I thought I was going to a country mansion, but it's a mega plush hotel with spa. The Manor, have you heard of it?" I asked and Niall's face screwed up into a clueless expression.

"Nope!" He replied, getting up to turn the oven off. "Can I come next time?"

"No, I'm not going back, I can't work with that! Besides, he has a girlfriend and I could never look him in the eye again, not after my performance..." I pushed myself up from the chair, throwing the spatula into the empty mixing bowl. "I've passed it over to Patrick. Wine?"

"In the fridge!"

We made our way up to the room and changed into our PJ's. I dumped my bag on my bed and it flopped open, the lily Tomlinson gave me for making an appearance.  **Understated elegance.** I picked it up and twirled it in my fingers for a few moments, then dumped it in my wastepaper basket.

Forgotten.

Once changed into my slob out clothes, I loaded the DVD player with the latest offering from the local rental shop, jumping on the couch with Niall and tried to concentrate on the movie, but it was impossible, my mind's eye was trampled with a lean, brown hair, blue-eyed male, of a certain age, with a dribble worthy gait, and bag loads of sex appeal.

 **But I want you**  pinned-balling around my head.

Not so forgotten.

**ººº**

After two progress meetings with clients and stopping by at Mister Muller's new townhouse in Holland Park to drop off some samples, I was finally able to go back to the office to listen to Patrick moan about Irene. It was a normal Monday morning affair after he endured a whole weekend away from the office with his wife. I really had no idea how the poor man poked up with her.

Tom breezed in with the widest grin on his face and I knew immediately he must have pulled over the weekend.

"Darling, I've missed you!" He air kissed me and turned to Patrick, who held his hands up in a don't-even-think-about-it gesture. Tom rolled his eyes, completely unoffended and waltzed to his desk.

"Morning, Tom!" I greeted brightly.

"I've had the most stressful morning! Mister and Miss Baines have changed their bloody minds for the thousandth time. I've had to cancel all the orders and re-arrange a dozen workmen!" He waved his arms in the air in frustration. "I got a sodding parking ticket for not displaying a permit in a resident's zone and, to top it off, I snagged my new jumper on their hideous railings outside Starbucks!" He started picking the stray wool from the hem of his hot pink, V neck jumper. "God damn it, look! It's a good thing I got laid last night or I'd be in the depths of despair!" He grinned at me.

I knew it.

Patrick walked away while shaking his head, his attempts to tone Tom's excitement down to more tolerable levels have proven ineffective so he just gave up.

"Had a good night?" I asked.

"Wonderful, I met the most divine man. He's taking me to the Natural History Museum at the weekend. He's a scientist. We're soul mates, for sure."

"What happened to the personal trainer?" I asked considering that was last week soul mate.

"Don't, it was a disaster! He turned up at my apartment on Friday night with the Dirty Dancing DVD and an Indian takeout for two. Can you believe that?"

"I'm shocked!" I teased.

"I bloody was! Needless to say, I won't be seeing him again. What's happening with you, darling? How's that gorgeous ex-boyfriend of yours?" He winked. Tom never hid his attraction to Nicholas which always made me laugh but made Nicholas extremely uncomfortable.

"He's okay. He's still the ex and still not single anymore."

"Damn shame! Let me know when he comes to his senses!" Tom sauntered off, tweaking his perfectly positioned blonde quiff.

"Sally, I'm emailing you a design consultation fee for Mister Tomlinson. Can you make sure you send it today?"

"I will, Harry. Seven-day payment terms?"

"Yes, thank you!" I turned back to my desk and resumed color matching, reaching over to grab my phone when it started dancing around my desk. Glancing at my screen, I nearly fell off of my chair when I saw the name  **Louis** flashing up. After a few seconds of just staring, my brain finally got off the shocking message and my heart started to sprint in my chest.

_What the hell?_

I never stored his number, Patrick never got around to passing it to me and after handing the project over to him on Friday, I no longer needed it. I wouldn't be going back, and I meant it. Even so, I wouldn't have saved his number under his first name. I held my phone in my hand, scanning the office to see if the continuous ringing had drawn any attention from my colleagues but it hadn't so I let it ring off.

I went to Patrick's office to ask if he had notified Mister Tomlinson of the change in arrangements but then my phone rang again, halting me in my tracks. I took a steady breath and connected the call. If Patrick hadn't advised him, then I would and if it didn't suit, it was bad luck. I made a rubbish job of convincing myself that I passed the contract over because Patrick was more suitable for the project but I knew damn well that was only half the reason.

"Hello..." I said, stamping my foot a little for sounding apprehensive in my greeting considering I was aiming for sure and confident.

 **"Harry?"**  His husky voice had the same impact on my weak senses as it did on Friday but, at least over the phone, he couldn't see me physically trembling.

"Who's speaking?" 

 _There._   _That sounded better, professional, business-like and steady._  

He laughed lightly and it threw me completely off guard.

 **"Now, I know you already know the answer to that question because my name came up on your phone."** He said and I cringed on the spot.  **"Trying to play it cool?"**

"You added yourself to my contacts list?!" I gasped as the realization hit me. I mentally sprinted through our meeting, settling on my visit to the toilet when I left my portfolio and phone on the table. 

_I can't believe he went through my phone!_

**"I need to be able to get hold of you."**

_Oh, no. Patrick, obviously, hadn't told him. Nevertheless, you don't go around snooping through strangers phones._   _He really is very self-assured and saving it under Louis? That's a bit familiar._

"Patrick should have contacted you." I coolly informed him. "I'm afraid I'm unable to assist you, but Patrick will be more than happy to help."

 **"Patrick has been in contact."**  He replied and I sag in relief but then frowned.  **"I'm sure he will be happy to help, but I'm less than happy to accept it."**  He said and my mouth gaped.

 _Who does he think he is? He called to tell me he's not happy?_   _Oh, this man is way past arrogant._

"I'm sorry to hear that." I sounded less than sorry and more irritated.

 **"Are you?"**  He asked and I was thrown again.

_No, I'm not sorry but I'm not telling you that._

"Yes, I am." I lied, wanting to add that I could never work with an arrogant, good-looking swine like him, but I refrained considering that it wouldn't be very professional. I heard him sigh.

 **"I don't think you are, Harry."** My name sounded like velvet rolling from his lips, causing a familiar shudder to course through me.  **"I think you're avoiding me."**  He added and by that time I thought I was going to dislocate my jaw at the rate.

He was right, he sparked some very unwelcome feelings in me and the fact that I knew he was involved with someone else had not helped one iota.

"Why would I do that?" I asked cockily.

**"Well, because you're attracted to me."**

"Excuse me?" I sputtered.

His self-assuredness knew no bounds. The fact that he was banging on the money was way beside the point, everyone would have to be blind, deaf and dumb not to be attracted to that man. He was the epitome of male perfection and, quite clearly, he knew it.

I heard him sigh before answering.

**"I said..."**

"Yes, I heard you!" I interrupted him. "I just can't believe you said it!" I slumped in my chair. I had never known anything quite like it, I was completely stunned. The man had a significant other, and he was flirting at the end of the phone with me. I needed to turn the conversation back around to business and got off of the phone quickly. "I apologize for not being available to assist with your work." I blurted and hang up, staring down at my phone.

That was really quite rude and extremely unprofessional, but I was just completely staggered by his forwardness. Passing the contract over to Patrick was looking more and more sensible by the minute.

I was about to go back to my work when a text arrived.

**I noticed that you didn't deny it. You should know the feeling is mutual. L. x**

_Shit fucking hell!_

I slapped my hand over my lips to stop my mental explicit language from falling out of my mouth.

 _No, I didn't deny it and he's attracted to me? I'm a bit young for him, or is he too old for me? A kiss?_   _What a cocky arse!_

I didn't reply, I had no idea what to say to that so, instead, I threw my phone into my bag and went to meet Niall for lunch.

**ººº**

"Holy Moses!" Niall exclaimed, staring down at my phone. "Did you reply?" He looked up at me expectantly.

"Christ, no!" I laughed.

 _What would he recommend I said to that?_   _It got me completely stumped._

"And he has a girlfriend?"

"Yes..." I nodded, raising my eyebrows and he placed my phone back on the table.

"That's a shame."

_Is it? It actually makes things a lot easier. It totally trumps the looks and reactions he spikes in me._

Niall was far more daring than me. He would have replied with something shocking and suggestive and probably made Louis' jaw drop. The boy would give any bonafide man-eater a run for their money. Not slow in coming forward, he mostly scared men off on the first date, only the strongest survived. He was confident, strong-minded and determined.

"Not really..." I mused, picking up my cheeky lunchtime wine and taking a sip. "Anyway, it's only been four weeks since Nicholas and I split up so I don't want any men in my life, not in any capacity..." I liked the fact that I sounded resolute. "I'm enjoying being single and carefree for the first time ever!" I added and it really did feel like the first time ever.

I was with Nicholas for four years and previous to that, I was in a three-year relationship with Adam.

"Have you seen the prick?" Niall face distorted into one of disgust at the mention of my ex's name.

He couldn't stand Nicholas and was delighted when I split up with him. Niall catching him at it with a work colleague in a taxi only confirmed what I already knew, but what I didn't know was why I ignored it for so long. When I confronted Nicholas calmly, he fell apart with apologies and nearly fell over when I told him that I wasn't bothered. I really wasn't, much to my own surprise. The relationship had run its course, and Nicholas was of the same opinion, it was all very amicable, much to Niall's disgust. He wanted flying plates and police intervention.

"No..." I confirmed.

"We are having fun, aren't we?" He grinned as the waitress approached us with our lunch.

"I'm just going to the loo..." I got up, leaving Niall dowsing his chips in mayonnaise.

After using the toilet, I stood in the mirror fluffing my hair. It was behaving, so it was down and tumbling. I brushed down my black jeans and picked a few loose strings off my cream blouse. My phone started to ring as I made my way back to the bar. I dragged it from my work bag, rolling my eyes when I saw his name again. He was probably wondering where my reply to his inappropriate text message was.

I was not playing his games with him.

"Reject." I huffed at my phone, stabbing at the red button and stuffing it in my bag as I continued down the corridor. "Oh God, I'm sorry!" I spluttered as I slammed straight into a chest.

The chest was a very firm chest, and the intoxicating fresh water scent that was washing over me was way too familiar. My legs refused to move, and I knew what I was going to see if I looked up. Who I was going to see if I looked up.His arm was already wrapped around my waist to steady me, my eyes level with the top of his chest andI could see his heart beating through his shirt.

"Reject?" He said softly. "I'm wounded..." He added and I pushed myself away from his grasp, attempting to regain my composure. He looked stunning, wearing a charcoal suit and crisp white shirt. I laughed at myself and my inability to get my eyes past his upper body for fear of being hypnotized by the potency of the man's sludgy gaze. "Is something funny?" He asked and I suspected that he was frowning at my random outburst, but because I refused to look at him, I couldn't confirm that.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." I sidestepped him, but he grabbed my elbow, halting my escape.

"Just tell me one thing before you leave, Harry..." His voice prickled at my senses and I found my eyes traveling up the leanness of his body until our eyes met. His face was serious but still stunning."How loud do you think you'll scream when I fuck you?"

"Excuse me?!" I managed to splutter around the lead that was my tongue and he half smiled at my shock, placing his index finger under my chin and pushing my gaping mouth shut.

"I'll leave that one with you." He released my elbow.

I flashed him a displeased scowl before I walked back to the table as steadily as my boneless legs allowed.

_Did I really just hear him right?_

I slid myself onto the chair, immediately glugging down my wine to try and moisten my parched mouth. When I looked up at Niall, I saw him open-mouthed, exposing half chewed chips and bread, in a very unattractive way.

"Who the fuck is that?" He mumbled around his food.

"Who?" I looked around, simulating unawareness.

"Him!" Niall pointed with his fork. "Look!"

"I saw and I don't know." I grated.

"He's coming over. You sure you don't know him? Fuck, he's hot!" He looked at me and I shrugged, mentally begging Louis to go away.

I picked up a stray piece of lettuce from my BLT and started nibbling at the edges. I was tense all over and I knew he was getting closer because Niall's gaze was lifting upwards to accommodate his height.

_I wish he would just shut his bloody gaping mouth!_

"Gentlemen..." His low throaty voice prickled at my skin, helping in nothing to make me relax.

"Hi!" Niall spat, chewing rapidly to rid his mouth of the obstruction to speech.

"Harry?" He prompted and I wave my piece of lettuce at him to acknowledge his presence but without having to look at him so he laughed lightly.

Out the corner of my eye, I saw his body slowly lowering until he was squatting at the table next to me, but I still refused to look at him. He rested one arm on the table and I heard Niall cough and splutter on the remnants of his food.

"That's better..." He said and I could feel his breath on my cheek. Reluctantly, I looked up through my lashes and found Niall gawking at me, all wide-eyed and a yes-he's-still-there-talk-you-idiot look, but I couldn't think of anything to say. Once again, that man had rendered me useless. I heard him sigh. "I'm Louis Tomlinson, pleased to meet you." I saw his hand reach across the table and Niall took it eagerly.

"Louis?" He spluttered. "Oh! Louis!" I could feel Niall glaring at me accusingly. "I'm Niall. Harry mentioned you have a posh hotel." He said and I scowled across the table.

"Oh, he mentioned me?" Louis asked softly and I didn't have to look at him to know he was displaying a smug, satisfied face at this news. "I wonder what else he mentioned."

"Oh, this and that..." Niall flipped casually but it was too late to backtrack on his previous statement and I threw him my filthiest look.

"This and that." He countered softly.

"Yes, this and that..." Niall affirmed.

Fed up with the pointless little exchange that they both seemed to be enjoying, I took the situation into my own hands, turning my eyes to him.

"It was nice to see you, goodbye."

Our eyes latched immediately and I was ruined by his sludgy blue eyes, all hooded, dark and demanding. I could feel his breath waver and it drew my eyes away from his, but only to his mouth. His lips were moist, slightly parted, and his tongue slowly crept out of his mouth, running a leisurely path across his bottom lip.I couldn't take my eyes off him.Without any encouragement at all, my own tongue responded with a happy little adventure across my bottom lip, betraying my effort to appear emotionless and unaffected.

I was so affected and it was crazy. That, whatever it was, it was just crazy. He was overconfident and arrogant, but probably had the right to be and I desperately did not want to be affected by that man.

"Nice?" He leaned forward, grasping my thigh, causing hot liquid lava to flood my groin. I shifted my legs, squeezing my thighs together to restrict the pulsation that threatened to break out into a full, hard throb. "I could think of lots of words, Harry, but nice is not one of them... I'll leave you to consider my question." I gulped as he leaned into me at half height, pressing his damp lips against my cheek, holding his kiss forever. I clenched my teeth in an effort not to turn into him. "Soon..." He whispered, in a promising way."It was nice to meet you, Niall!" He released my tense thigh and rose.

"Hmhmm, you too..." He responded thoughtfully.

He strode off towards the back of the bar,walking with purpose and it was sexy as hell.I closed my eyes to mentally gather my wits which were dispersed all over the bar floor. It was completely hopeless.I turned back to Niall, finding accusing bright blue eyes gawking at me like I had sprouted fangs, and his eyebrows hit his hairline.

"Fuck me, that was intense!" He spat across the table.

"Was it?" I started pushing my sandwich around my plate.

"You better stop with the blah-fucking-zay shit now, or I'll shove this fork so far up your arse, you'll be chewing metal. What question are you considering?!" His tone was fierce.

"I don't know..." I brushed him off. "He's attractive, arrogant and has a girlfriend!" I tried for vague and Niall let out a long, over-amplified whistle.

"I've never experienced that before, I've heard of it but never witnessed it."

"What are you talking about?!" I snapped and he leaned across the table, all serious.

"Harry, the sexual tension batting between you and that man was so fucking supercharged, even I was horny!" He laughed. "He wants you so bad, he couldn't have made it any clearer if he'd have spread you on that pool table!" He pointed and I actually looked.

"You are imagining things!" I snorted and I knew he wasn't, but what could I say.

"I've seen the text and now I've seen the man in the flesh. He's hot for an older guy." He shrugged.

"I'm not interested..."

"Ha! You keep telling yourself that!" He rolled his eyes and I scowled across the table at my best friend.

"I will!"

"Let me know how that works out for you!" He shot back, rather flippantly.

**ººº**

I returned to the office and spent the rest of the day achieving absolutely nothing. I twiddled my pen, visited the toilet a dozen times, and pretended to listen to Tom harp on about Gay Pride and all things. My phone rang four times, all Tomlinson, and I rejected each and every call,staggered by the man's persistence and confidence.

_How loud?_ _I'm stunned!_

At that moment, I was happy and enjoying my new found freedom, and I had no intention of derailing my plans to be single and carefree. I was not getting caught up with a handsome stranger, no matter how persistent he was and oh, was he mind-meltingly delicious. Anyway, he was way too old for me and more importantly, he was obviously taken. That only reinforced the fact that he was an ultimate player. It was not the sort of man I needed to be attracted to, damn me, especially after Nicholas and his infidelities. I needed a man, eventually, who would be faithful, protective and who would look after me, preferably a bit nearer my age too. 

_Has he really the age he says he has?_

My phone declared a text, making me jump and it snapped me from my wandering thoughts to the real world again. I already knew who it was before I looked.

**Being rejected isn't very nice. Why won't you answer my calls? Lx**

I laughed to myself, drawing the attention of Victoria, who was rummaging through the filing cabinet near my desk. Her perfectly plucked eyebrow arched and I didn't suppose he was used to rejection.

"Niall..." I offered, by way of an explanation. It seemed to work, as she returned to sifting through the cabinet.

It should be obvious why I was not answering my bloody phone as I didn't want to talk to him. He unnerved me, triggering too many reactions and, quite frankly, I didn't trust my body around him. It seemed to respond to his presence with no prompt from me or my brain, and that could be very dangerous indeed.

My phone rang again and I quickly rejected it.

 _Christ, give me a chance to reply!_   _Am I even going to reply? I'm never going to get rid of him so I need to be brutal._

**If you need to discuss your requirements, you should be calling Patrick, not me.**

_There._   _No sign-off and definitely no kiss. I've not said in so many words, but he should get the message._

I put my phone down, all set on getting something done, but it chimed again. I picked it straight back up, grabbing my coffee with my spare hand as I did.

**My requirement is to make you scream, I don't think Patrick can help me there. I'm gagging just thinking about it. That's a thought... will I need to gag you? Lx**

I sprayed coffee all over my desk as I coughed.

_The cheeky sod! How brazen and unashamed can this man be? Does he think I'm easy or something?_

I switched my phone to silent, chucking it down on my desk in disgust.

_I'm not even dignifying that with a response. Replying would only encourage him. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and Louis Tomlinson triple jumps that. I feel sorry for old pouty lips. Is his girlfriend aware of her man pursuing young boys?_

I watched as my screen lighted up again and I snatched it up, silencing it before it drew attention. I opened my top drawer, dropping it in and slammed it shut on a huff, hoping he would get the message.

I made a meager attempt to carry on with some work, but I was far too distracted. Strange words, all having no place in work-related correspondence, were appearing in my emails as I absentmindedly tapped away at my keyboard. The office phone rang and, glancing up, I saw Sally away from her desk, so I answered.

"Good afternoon, Rococo Union."

 **"Don't hang up!"**  Louis blurted down the phone.  


	4. ღ IV.

I sat up straight in my chair, even his urgent voice pricked my skin.

 _Get the message, he will not._   _He's really quite thick skinned._

**"Harry, I'm really very sorry."**

"Are you?" I couldn't hide the surprise in my voice because Louis Tomlinson didn't look like the kind of man to offer apologies willy-nilly.

 **"Yes, really, I am. I've made you feel uncomfortable. I've overstepped the mark by a long shot."** He sounded sincere enough. **"I've distressed you. Please accept my apology."**

I wouldn't say I was distressed by his bold behavior and comments but shocked would be better to the situation. Some people would even admire his confidence, I supposed.

"Oh, okay..." I said hesitantly. "So, you don't want to make me scream or gag me?"

**"Harry, you sound disappointed."**

"Not at all!" I blurted and there was a brief silence before he spoke again.

**"Can we start again? I'll keep it professional, of course."**

He could be sorry, but that didn't extinguish the effect he had on me and it didn't escape my thoughts that it was just a ploy to get me back on the side so he could re-commence pursuing me.

"Mister Tomlinson, I'm really not the right person for this job..." I swiveled in my chair to check if Patrick was in his office, seeing him there _._ "Can I transfer you to Patrick?" I pushed, mentally pleading for him to take the hint.

 **"It's Louis. You make me feel old when you call me Mister Tomlinson."**  He grumbled and I slammed my mouth shut when my lips parted and that question nearly fell out as I wasstill intrigued by that subject, but I was not going to ask again. **"Harry, if it makes you feel better, you can deal with John. What would be the next stage?"**

 _Oh? Would it make me feel better?_  

The Big Guy had intimidation in equal measure to Tomlinson's boldness so I was not sure I would feel any more comfortable with his offer to replace himself with John. But the fact that he was prepared to do that, told me he really did want me to do the designs and that, I supposed, was a compliment. And The Manor would be a great addition to my portfolio.

"I would need to measure the rooms and draw up some schemes..." I spat the words out impulsively.

 **"Perfect!"**  He sounded relieved.  **"I can get John to take you around the rooms. He can hold your tape measure. Tomorrow?"**

 _Tomorrow? He's keen._   _As it happens, I can't. I've got various appointments dotted across the day, and Wednesday's out too._

"I can't do tomorrow or Wednesday, I'm sorry."

 **"Oh..."**  He said quietly.  **"Do you do evenings?"**

Well, I didn't like doing evenings, but many clients worked nine-to-five jobs and were unavailable during the working day so I preferred evenings to weekends, never getting dragged into weekend appointments.

"I can do tomorrow evening!" I blurted, turning the page in my diary to the next day. My last appointment was at five with Miss Kent. "Seven-ish?" I asked, already penciling him in.

 **"Perfect. I would say that I'll look forward to it, but I can't look forward to it because I won't be seeing you."**  I couldn't see him but I knew he was probably grinning. I could hear it in his tone, he just couldn't help himself.  **"I'll let John know to expect you at seven."**

"-ish..." I added since I didn't know how long it would take to get out of the city at that time of day.

 **"-ish!"**  He confirmed.  **"Thank you, Harry."**

"You're welcome, Mister Tomlinson. Goodbye." I hung up and commenced tapping my fingernail on my front tooth.

"Harry?" Patrick called from his office.

"Yes?" I swang my chair to face him.

"The Manor, they want you, flower." He shrugged, returning to his computer screen.

_No, he wants me._

**ººº**

I flew through Tuesday's appointments, leaving Miss Kent's lovely new townhouse at just past six.

Miss Kent was the extremely high maintenance wife of Mister Kent, MD of Kent Yacht Builders, and the Kensington house was their third home in four years. I redesigned the interior on all of them, but no sooner were the works completed, Miss Kent decided she couldn't envisage growing old there, considering she was seventy if a day, so the house was on the market, sold, and I was starting from scratch on their new abode. I was slightly paranoid when they sold the first home that I worked on only a month after works were completed, especially as it was my first contract when I started working for Patrick but she was soon scheduling an appointment for me to view their new place, crooning down the phone,  **'Harry dear, it's not you. It just didn't feel like home'.**  So, I was on the third Kent residence, the specification was the same as the last two houses, which was convenient because I didn't have to source any freestanding furniture. It also softened the blow on Mister Kent's wallet. 

I jumped in my car, setting off for The Surrey Hills. I didn't divulge to Niall the reason why I was going to be home late since telling him would only fuel his curiosity as to why I was returning to The Manor. I would, of course, lie and feed him the same crap that I fed myself with, that the addition of The Manor's works would only benefit my portfolio. The magnet of lean loveliness had zero influence on my decision, none at all.

I stopped at the intercom, but as I pressed to release my window, the gates started opening and I looked up to the camera, figuring that John would be waiting. I did say seven-ish and it was five past seven so. I drove through the gates, up the gravel road until I reached the courtyard seeing John waiting on the steps for me, filling the double doorway, sunglasses firmly in place.

"Good evening, John!" I greeted, grabbing my folder and bag.

_Will he speak today?_

No, he just nodded and turned, walking back into The Manor, leaving me to follow him into the bar, lookingbusier than when I was last there, probably because of the time of the day.

"Mario?" He rumbled and a little man popped up from behind the bar.

"Yes?"

"Get Mister Styles a drink, please." John turned his concealed eyes back to me. "I'll be back. Louis wants a quick word."

"With me?" I blurted, blushing slightly at my abruptness.

"No, with me."

"Is he staying in his office?" I asked nervously and noticed I was asking too many questions about something so trivial but he assured me he would leave me and John to it.

Even the thought of the man reduced me to a nervous wreck, I never thought I would think that, but I did actually feel more comfortable with the Big Guy. For a start, I trusted myself with him. John's lips twitched, clearly trying to fight a smile and I inwardly groaned, knowing that he knew.

"S'all good, boy." He turned, giving Mario a funny look, which the little barman acknowledged with a flick of his cloth.

_What's that all about?_

John nodded sternly before striding out, leaving me with Mario at the bar.

I gazed around, noticing a boy laughing with a middle-aged man at a table nearby. The boy I saw in the toilets when I was there last Friday. He was wearing a black trouser suit and looked extremely professional. The man accompanying him rose from the table, putting his hand out politely, and the boy accepted it with a smile as he stood, letting his company tuck him under his arm and lead him out of the bar as they chatted and giggled.

I perched on a bar stool to wait for John, taking my phone out to check for messages and missed calls.

"You would like wine?"

I looked up, finding the little barman smiling at me. I noticed his cute accent and I concluded that he was Italian. He was very short and rather sweet, with his mustache and receding black hair.

"I could do one, but I'm driving..."

"Ah!" He exclaimed. "Just a small one!" He held a small wine glass up, drawing a line across the middle with his finger.

_Oh, fuck it! I shouldn't drink on the job but my nerves are shot to bits. He's in this building somewhere and that's unsettling enough._

I nodded with a smile.

"Thank you..."

He held up a bottle of Zinfandel and I nodded again.

"Your jeans are very, ugh... how you say... striking?" He poured a little more than half a glass. In fact, it was full.

I looked down at my black structured figure-hugging my jeans. I supposed 'striking' would be a word you could use since my jeans were really tight and marked a lot my bum. It was my if-all-else-fails jeans. I always felt nice in it so I ignored the little voice in my head asking me if I wore it in the hopes of seeing Tomlinson.

I snapped a lid on that thought immediately and laughed at Mario's careful choice of words, taking the glass as he passed it over the bar with a smile.

"Thank you..." I smiled.

"Pleasure, Mister Styles. I will leave you in peace." He picked up his cloth and started wiping the granite counter under the optics.

I sipped my wine as I waited for John. It went down too well and before I knew it, I had drank the lot _._  I couldn't wait to get home so I could dig into the bottle being kept chilled in the fridge.

"Hello." I swiveled on my stool, coming face to face with the woman that was draped all over Tomlinson on Friday. She smiled at me, but it was the most insincere smile I've ever had the pleasure of receiving.

"Hi..." I said politely and I noticed that Mario came rushing over with a panic-stricken face, waving his cloth in the air.

"Miss Hannah! No, please. No talk."

"Oh, shut up Mario! I'm not stupid!" She spat. Poor Mario flinched before returning to wiping the bar, keeping his eyes on Hannah. I wanted to jump to his defense but just as I was contemplating doing exactly that, she put out his hand. "I'm Hannah, you are?"

 _Oh yes,_   _the last time she asked me that I didn't answer and left rather hastily._

I accepted her hand, shaking it lightly as she eyed me suspiciously. I could instantly tell she didn't like me, perhaps she saw me as a threat.

"Harry Styles..." I offered, releasing my hold of her hand swiftly.

"And you're here because?" She asked and I laughed lightly. I was sure she knew exactly why I was there, which only served to confirm that she was feeling threatened and going out of his way to make me feel uncomfortable. I mentally asked she would sheath the claws.

I silently smiled at the thought of telling her that it was because her boyfriend pleaded with me to be here.

"I'm an Interior Designer. I'm here to measure up the new bedrooms."

She arched an eyebrow, flicking her hand in the air to get Mario's attention. The woman was something else, with aloofness in equal measure to Tomlinson boldness. Her blonde layered hair was flicking, her lips the same pouty red as they were on Friday, and she was wearing a fitted grey short dress. I was being unkind when I put her at forty. She was probably mid-thirties, far closer to Tomlinson in age than me and I quickly reigned in my wandering thoughts, mentally slapping my own desperate arse.

"Sloe gin and tonic, Mario!" She demanded past me. No 'please' and no smile, being really quite rude. "You're a bit young to be an interior designer, aren't you?" Her tone was unfriendly and she didn't look at me when she spoke.

I bristled and decided that I really didn't like that woman.

_What does Tomlinson see in her, apart from over-inflated pouty lips and bright blue eyes?_

"I am." I agreed and I knew immediately that she felt threatened by my youth as well.

"Hm."

I was beyond relieved when John appeared in the doorway. He pulled his glasses down, giving Hannah a peculiar look before nodding at me, making me confused about all the looks that were being thrown around. I didn't dwell on it, though. John's nod was the cue I needed to escape that woman so I placed my empty glass on the bar more forcefully than I intended to, making Mario's head snap up and I gave him an apologetic smile, lowering myself from the stool.

"Nice meeting you, Hannah!" I said pleasantly. It was a lie, I didn't like her and I knew the feeling was mutual.

She didn't look at me but she accepted the drink that Mario handed her, without so much as a 'thank you', and walked off to chat with a male business type at the other end of the bar.

When I reached John, he led me up the grand staircase to the gallery landing and through to the new extension.

"I'll be fine on my own, John... I don't want to keep you..." I offered him the chance to leave me to it as he led me down the corridor.

"S'all good, kid." He rumbled, opening the door into the furthest room.

We started measuring up, working our way back through the rooms. John dutifully held the tape measure for me, nodding every so often when I gave him directions. The phrase 'A man of few words' was invented with John in mind, I was sure. He talked with his nods and even though his eyes were covered with his sunglasses, I could identify when he was looking at me.

I made all the notes I needed in my folder, ideas thrashing around in my head already.

An hour later, I had all the measurements I needed and we were done. I followed John's huge body back onto the gallery landing, as I searched for my phone within my bag. I soon realized that in my desperation to get shot of Hannah, I left it on the bar.

"I left my phone at the bar..." I muttered to John's back.

"I'll make sure Mario's picked it up. Louis wanted me to show you one of the other rooms before you go." He informed me evenly.

"Why?"

"So you get an idea of your brief." He put a keycard in the slot, opening the door and ushered me in.

_Oh, okay. It can't hurt, and I am interested._

I walked into the middle of the room. Well, mini-suite would better describe it, the floor space was probably bigger that Niall's flat. Hearing the door close behind me, I turned to see that John left me to take it in on my own so I stood absorbing the opulent spender of the décor.

The rooms were more lavish than the ones downstairs if that was possible. A giant bed dominated the room, dressed in rich satin linen in deep purples and gold. The wall behind the bed was papered in an embossed intense swirling of dull gold and heavy thick curtains pooled the thick, bouncy carpet. The lighting dim and soft.

One of Tomlinson's key requirements was sensuality and whoever designed the room had achieved it in abundance.

_Why doesn't he just re-employ this designer?_

I wandered over to the huge sash window and looked out over the rear grounds. The land of The Manor standing on its vast, the views tremendous and the lush greenness of the Surrey countryside was rolling for miles and miles beyond. It was really quite special.

I walked over and ran my palm across a lovely dark wooden chest of drawers. I placed my folder and bag on the top before lowering myself onto the chaise lounge in the window. I sat and took in my surroundings. It wasincredible and would undoubtedly rival many of the most famous hotels spread across the world's biggest cities.

A huge wall hanging grabbed my attention since it was quite odd but beautifully made, making me think that it probably was an antique _._  Half attached to the wall and drifting up onto the ceiling where the huge beams spanned, it was grid like in appearance but there was no material or lighting adorning it.

I tilted my head on a frown but then flew up to a standing position when I heard a noise coming from the bathroom.

_Oh shit._

He put me in an occupied room. I couldn't hear anything after a while. I kept myself still and quiet, trying to listen for movement but there was nothing. I relaxed a little, but then I heard the door handle on the bathroom shift and my head snapped up.

_Oh, heck._

I probably had to start running to escape before some poor sod came out of their bathroom, possibly naked, and finds a strange man, standing like a complete plum, in the middle of their posh suite.

I walked towards the chest of drawers to retrieve my bag and swung around towards the exit. I gasped, dropping my bag to the floor, frozen on the spot and staring at Louis Tomlinson who was standing in the doorway of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a pair of loose-fitting jeans.


	5. ღ V.

He remained silent as I looked at him in shock, waiting for an explanation. I got nothing, except for his intense blue eyes gazing at me from across the room. I felt like I was under a microscope and that glass of wine was on spin cycle in my stomach, churning around and around as I shifted nervously on my shoes.  
  
"Is this some kind of joke?" I half laughed, still waiting for enlightenment but it was not forthcoming.  
  
I tried to ignore the mass of a magnificent man and frantically searched my brain for guidance or instruction but it was useless. I was not blind and I would happily volunteer that I imagined his chest, more than once, and it exceeded even my highest imaginations and expectations.

_This man is way past perfect. What should I do?_

He was just standing there, with his head slightly lowered, staring up at me through his long lashes. His eyes piercing me, his mouth slack, and I could see the rise and fall of his incredible chest. There was some serious definition, not too bulky, just clean cut perfection. If he was devastating fully clothed then he was seizure worthy.

I took a deep breath.

_Oh God, he has the V._

His heavy breathing was causing his muscles to roll and ripple, the increased swells putting the stoppers on his attempt to appear unaffected.

_He's really affected. What was he doing there like that? Standing with only a pair of jeans on, looking all freshly shaven, revealing even more beauty?_

I mentally slapped myself. It was obvious what he was playing at, I knew I shouldn't have trusted him. He was unreal and so bloody forward, it was always unattractive.

I laughed lightly to myself.

_It's not unattractive, not at all. I am just a pooling mass of want. Was I hoping to see him? Yes, I'll admit that. But like this? Yes, actually, I was. I've thought of little else since I laid eyes on him._

His arms dropped to his sides, but his stance kept being confident and determined. He was staring at me with complete intent, his look telling me I was about to melt with pleasure. I knew I should leave, but as much as I thought I needed to, as much as I was battling with my sensible side to run, I didn't.

Instead, I ran my eyes down his jean-clad thighs, noticing the bulge at his groin. He was absolutely turned on and judging by the coiled pang of desire that had sprung into my stomach, so was I.

My body clammed up with panic, battling between my conflicting sides, the sensible side, telling me to get the hell out of there, and my dangerous side, pleading with me to stay and take what he wanted to give. It was wrong, I was just chatting with his girlfriend downstairs. Well, not chatting since chatting would imply that it was a friendly conversation which it wasn't.

My debating brain got me shifting my position as I parted my lips to draw a steadying breath and I flexed my neck.

"Relax, Harry..." He soothed me quietly. "You know you want this..." He said and I almost laughed.

_Who wouldn't? Look at him._

I stood motionless, the only visible movement was my heart hammering out of my chest and it increased tenfold when he slowly began to walk towards me, his eyes fixed on mine.

When he was a few feet away, his fresh minty scent engulfed my nose, sending my body involuntarily rigid. I didn't know how I managed it but I kept my eyes on his own, lifting them to maintain contact as he neared, until he was standing before me. He was as close as he could be without physically touching me. If there was a Def-Con-One version of high alert for the human body, then I was in it.

"Turn around..." He ordered gently.

I confirmed without even a thought or hesitation, slowly turning away from him as I puffed my cheeks out and clenched my eyes shut.

_What am I doing? I didn't falter in the slightest._

My shoulders tensed, anticipating his touch and no amount of mental encouragement to relax was paying off.

The only sound breaking the screaming silence was the heavy breathing coming from both of us. I stood for a few moments, then went to turn and face him again, but I was stopped in my tracks when two firm warm slightly shaky hands rested on my shoulders, keeping me from following through on my intent. His touch made me flinch and he released one hand slowly as if to ensure I would stay still. My loose hair was gathered into his hand and released to fall down my face. In my own private darkness, I could hear my head demanding for me to run away, but my body had a whole other agenda, defiantly ignoring any instructions from my brain.

His hand returned to my shoulders and slowly massaged my tense muscles. The feeling was just divine, my head rolling in appreciation as a small sigh escaped my lips. The pressure increased and I soaked up the delicious movements of his talented hands as I felt his hot minty breath getting closer to my ear. I shuddered, moving my face towards the source and I knew it was him inviting, but, at that moment, I had lost all sense.

I wanted more.

"Don't stop this..." He whispered, the vibrations of his voice propelling shockwaves throughout my body, making physically shake. It was way beyond my control. My breath caught at the back of my throat and my groin grew harder.

"I don't want to..." My voice sounded unrecognizable as I couldn't believe he had captured me like that, I couldn't believe I was accepting it.

"It's a good job, I don't think I'd let you..." He pressed his entire front against my back, his mouth dropping to my ear. "I'm going to take your clothes off now..." My nod of agreement was almost non-existent, but he caught it and answered by nipping my earlobe, which only assisted in raising the relentless pressure in my already throbbing core. "You're too fucking beautiful, Harry..." He purred, skimming his lips across my ear.

"Oh god..." I leaned back into him, his erection throbbing through his jeans, pulsing into my lower back.

"Do you feel that?" He circled his hips and I moaned. "I'm going to have you, baby..." His words were spoken with absolute conviction.

I was a complete slave to his words. I knew he was bound to have had practice in the area as he probably had the gift of seduction down to one fine art and I was not in denial. People were probably falling at his feet on a daily basis. He was a well-trained master, seeing and taking what he wanted but it didn't bother me in the slightest. At that moment, I was there for the taking, with no conscience and no indecisiveness. Caution had been wholly and absolutely thrown to the wind.

_What harm can it do?_

I felt his index finger starting at the base of my back, trailing a slow, definite stroke up the center of my spine, causing my head to roll freely. I pleaded with my hands to remain at my sides when all I wanted to do was turn and devour him but he already stopped me from turning to face him once since he clearly liked to be in control.

As he reached the very top of my shirt, he took it off and placed his hand on my hip again, making me jerk forward. It was my ultimate tickle spot and any friction on my hip bone, or the hollow above it, sends me through the roof. I squeezed my eyes shut, using every ounce of willpower I possessed to disregard the contact. It was hard but the sheer size of his hand splayed across my hip grounded me, keeping me immobile. I felt his hands reaching the front of my body, unbuttoning and unzipping my jeans, stunning me when I missed the heat of his hands immediately but then I felt both hands sliding under the material of my jeans and rest on my thighs. His fingers flexed as he dragged my jeans down my body, letting it fall on the floor and I took my feet from my shoes, putting them away along with my jeans.

His breath caught and I felt my cheeks blushing a lot as soon as I remembered that, in the morning, I decided to wear panties.

_I'm standing only in panties and at the complete mercy of the Adonis looming behind me. What the hell am I doing?_

"Hmmm, lace..." He whispered. My waist griped and I was lifted before being turned to face him. My eyes were leveled with his and with a little flick upwards, I was focused on his full, beautiful lips and wishing he would lay them on mine. I was swiftly losing my self-control and my conscience had long left the building.

_I'm wanton and with this man, easy._

He lifted a hand to my chest and circled my nipples, his gaze focused on his movements. My nipples tingled at the contact, lengthening against his skin and a small smile played at the corners of his lips, knowing the effect he was having on me. He introduced his index finger and tweaked the stiff nub. I was completely rapt by the man studying me so closely, working me up into a shaking, desperate mess.

_I still can't believe I'm doing this, but damn, can I stop it?_

I watched as he brought his other hand up to palm my chest and I could not keep my hands away from him much longer. My arms lifted and my palms settled on his chest. The warmness and firmness hitched my breath, and I started to trail my finger down the void between his pecs, smiling to myself when I felt him flinch under my touch and groan low in his throat. Before I could make the most of the access to his body, he turned me back around and I wanted to cry inside.

"I want to see you!" I breathed.

"Shhhh..." He hushed me, running his hands on my back and he continued to breathe hot heavy breaths in my ear. "You. And. Me." He growled and he spun me around, crashing his lips against mine, robbing me of breath.

I was back to where I wanted to be.

His tongue skimmed my bottom lip, seeking entry, and I didn't deny him. I accepted him into my mouth, our tongues dueling, his mouth hot, his tongue lax, but severe. I flung my arms over his shoulders to pull him closer as he pressed his groin into my lower stomach while my groin was on his thigh. His erection was as hard as steel and bidding for escape from the confines of the denim encasing it.

Every part of him felt perfect and it was everything I imagined.

A low moan escaped his mouth as both of his hands drifted up my back to cup my head, his fingers splayed around the back, the heel of his palms resting on my cheekbones. He broke the kiss and I whimpered at the loss. His shoulders started rising and falling with the deep breaths he was struggling to get into his lungs and he rested his forehead against mine with his eyes clenched shut.

He looked in pain.

"I'm going to get lost in you..." He breathed, his hand traveling back down the curve of my spine to the rear of my thigh. With one gentle tug, he pulled my leg up to rest on his hip, cupping my bum with his other hand and he searched my eyes desperately. "There's something here, between us..." He whispered. "I'm not imagining it..."

He was not.

I got back to Friday when I first laid my eyes on him. I felt like I had been electrocuted, all sorts of strange reactions firing off in my mind and body. That wasn't normal and I was so relieved to know that I wasn't the only one to feel it.

"There is something..." I confirmed quietly, watching as his eyes changed from uncertainty to complete satisfaction.

I was standing on one leg, semi-wrapped around his waist, ready to jump the gun and wrap my other leg around him, needing to feel all of him, especially needing his lips on mine.As if reading my mind, he tilted his head and lowered his mouth to mine, but he was calmer as he gently brushed his lips over mine at the most dreamy pace. He tilted his pelvis into me and I instantly recognized the start of a huge build-up of pressure in my groin.

I was powerless to control it but I also didn't want to control it.

His kiss hardened, the grinding of his hips increasing.

"Oh, Jesus..." He mumbled against my lips. "Don't ruin this."

_Don't ruin this? Why is he pleading with me, or is he pleading with himself?_

But then it all became clear when I heard someone calling Louis' name and I recognized the cold unfriendly voice as Hannah's. And just like that, my building pleasure died of death, retreating faster than it came.

_Fuck off, fuck off, fuck off!_

I was screaming it repeatedly in my head. My languid, worked up body suddenly stiffened, my fingers digging into Louis' shoulders.

_What am I doing? His girlfriend is prowling around, possibly outside, and I'm shacked up in here with her boyfriend's hands all over me. I'm hideous!_

He deepened the kiss, pushing onto my lips to the point of pain, his tongue invading my mouth with urgency and I knew he was trying to keep me in the game. He released my thigh and brought his hands to my hips to keep me still, thinking I was going to run because I was.

He released my lips, my head dropping automatically.

"The door's locked..." He assured me quietly.

_I can't carry on with this now! I may not like the woman outside, but I'm not a homewrecker. I've done some damage but I can stop this progressing to the point of no return._

"I can't..." I whispered.

He brought one hand up to seize my jaw, tilting my head up and holding it firm as he focused his blue pools straight on me. His frown line was clear as he searched my eyes for something.

Hope.

"Please..." He mouthed and I shook my head slightly in his grasp, my gaze plummeting to his chest, my eyes squeezing shut. His hand tightened on my hip and he shook my jaw slightly in a desperate attempt to drag me out of the shell I crawled into. "Don't run." He almost ground the words out, making it sound more like an order.

"I can't do this..." I whispered, feeling his hands drop away from me with a frustrated growl.

"Louis?" I heard Hannah's voice again, but closer.

In a complete daze, I scooped my clothes up from the floor before running into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me and flipping the lock. I leaned against the back of the door, virtually naked, trying to control my erratic breathing. I looked up to the ceiling in an attempt to prevent the tears from falling.

I was so disappointed with myself.

I heard the sound of muffled voices coming from the bedroom, and I tried to stabilize my breathing so I could listen to what was going on. But, there was nothing. No noise, no talking, nothing.

Damn me for being half naked so I couldn't escape. Instead, I resorted to fleeing into the bathroom, hiding like the desperate tart that I was. I was not comfortable with those feelings and I was truly ashamed of myself. I had been cheated on plenty of times and I annihilated all of those men who intruded on my relationships. Over many a bottle of wine, I condemned them, bad mouthed them and wished them some truly merciless reprisals.

And there I was being one of them.

I groaned, smacking the heel of my hand on my forehead. When I heard a door shut, I stiffened.

_Is that him leaving, or is he coming back? Either way, I need to get dressed._

I sighed and stepped into my jeans, dressing them and dressing my shirt next, needing to get out of there.

I walked over to the mirror to inspect myself. It was as I suspected, I was looking dreadful. My eyes were swimming with unshed tears, my lips swollen and red and, my cheeks flushed. I looked harassed and I felt harassed. I tried in vain to straighten myself out, so I could at least exit with a bit of dignity intact but there was no escaping the distraught look I was displaying.

It would be the ultimate walk of shame.

I flinched when someone knocked on the door.

"Harry?" He asked and I kept quiet.

_Oh God, he sounds almost angry._

I pulled my fingers through my hair and dabbed my eyes with a tissue to soak up the tears. I looked no better but I knew I would feel better when I was out of there. Preparing myself up to face the music that was a disappointed man blocking my escape, I gingerly unlocked the door. It flew open, nearly knocking me off of my feet and Louis filled the doorway, angry, and blocking my path as if he had the right to look at me all disapproving and make me feel like a letdown.

I looked past him into the bedroom, noticing we were alone. He had to be a bloody convincing liar because he was still shirtless, and there was no Hannah trying to rip my hair out.

I pushed past him.

"Where the hell are you going?!" He shouted after me. I didn't respond and just kept my pace up, grabbing my bag and stalking out onto the gallery landing, hearing Louis curse as I made my escape. "Harry!" He yelled.

I took the stairs fast, glancing up as I went, spotting Louis flying out of the suite, fighting to get his t-shirt on. Detouring into the bar to collect my phone, I found Mario serving some gentlemen. My good manners prevented me from demanding it immediately, so I stood patiently and waited, fidgeting and flustering the whole time.

"Did you get what you came for?" Hannah's cold voice stabbed at my flesh. 

 _Oh God, does she know? Is there a double meaning there?_  

"You mean measurements? Yes." I turned, plastering on a false smile.

She looked me over, her elbow resting on his hip, with her sloe gin and tonic suspended in front of her face.

_She knows. Oh, this is awful._

Louis raced into the bar, skidding to a stop in front of us and I looked at him in horror as he couldn't be any more obvious. I glanced at Hannah to gauge her reaction to the little scene, finding her looking thoughtfully at us both.

_She definitely knows and I need to leave, right now._

I turned back towards the bar and, thank God, Mario spotted me.

"Mister Styles, here, you must try." He handed me a short of some sort.

"Do you have my phone, Mario?"

"You try." He demanded.

In my desperation to get out of there, I knocked the whole thing back in one foul gulp. It burned the back of my throat, continuing the burn as it made its way down my throat and into my stomach. My mouth formed an O as I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Wow!"

"It is good?" He asked and I blew out a long, hot breath, handing the glass back to him.

"Yes, it's very good." I began to get the aftertaste of cherries. He took the glass, winked and handed me my phone.

I smoothed my shirt, taking a deep breath, before turning back to face the two people I never wanted to see again.

_I'm sure there's a gigantic, neon sign saying Tart flashing on my forehead._

"You left this upstairs..." Tomlinson handed me my folder but didn't release it when I tugged gently.

"Thank you..." I frowned at him as he stared at me, his brow completely furrowed as he chewed his bottom lip. He finally let it go and I tucked it inside my bag. "Goodbye." I left them both in the bar, making my way to my car.

He couldn't pursue me with Hannah there to bear witness and that was a major relief.

I got in and started my car, ignoring the voice in my head screaming that I was probably over the limit. It was so irresponsible of me but desperation left me with no alternative. I reversed out of the space and saw Louis come bounding out of the doors.

_He can't be serious. Why doesn't he just come out and tell Hannah exactly what just happened?_

Frantically, I shifted into first gear, pulling off sharply and left a cloud of dust in my wake. I had never driven my Mini so erratically. As the fog of dust cleared behind me, I saw Louis in the rearview mirror, throwing his arms around in the air like some raving lunatic. I speeded down the tree covered driveway, my head spinning, a mixture of drink and distress, trying to block everything out of my mind and concentrate on the road ahead of me. I was in no state to be driving. All my senses were dulled, the drink only a minor contributing factor to my hysterical state of mind.

Glancing down at the dashboard, I noticed I was driving stupidly fast and without the headlights or my seatbelt on. My head was all over the place. The gates came into view and I released the accelerator.

"Open, please, open..." I plead as I pulled to a standstill. "Open!" I thumped the steering wheel in frustration and the horn screamed, sending me on a startled jump in my seat. The sound of a car approaching dragged my eyes to the rearview mirror and I saw headlights getting closer. "Oh, fucking hell!" I cursed.

It skidded to a stop behind me and the door flew open. Louis got out and strode forward at a leisurely rate, but I was not trying to kid myself that he didn't look fuming. I dramatically slumped my arms and head onto the steering wheel, feeling completely flattened. My aim to escape, no questions asked or explanations given, had been well and truly dashed, not that I owed him any explanations. The situation, in all its hideousness, spoke for itself.

The driver door was yanked open and he grabbed my arm, gently pulling me from the car and taking my keys from the ignition.

"Harry." He looked at me all disapproving and I wanted to yell at him, but he got in first. "You're half pissed! I swear to God if you had hurt yourself..."

I winced at his words, mentally scolding myself for being so reckless. I stood in front of him, soaking up his displeasure, feeling humiliated and pathetic. He grasped my jaw in his hand to look down at me.

_He's moving in for a kiss, I can see it in his eyes. Oh, please, I really don't need this._

I pulled my face from his grip.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, reaching for me again and I brushed him off.

"Funnily enough, no, I'm not. Why did you do that?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"You want me?"

"More than anything!" He stated.

"What?! I've never met anyone so full of themselves! Did you plan this?! When you call me yesterday, was this your intention all along?!"

"Yes." He admitted with absolutely no apology in his tone. "I want you."

_I have no idea how to deal with this. He wants me, so he took me._

"Can you open the gates, please?" I started walking towards them but they were still unmoving by the time I reached them. I swang around in the most threatening manner I could muster. "Open the damn gates!"

"You honestly think I'm going to let you go wandering aimlessly out there when you're miles from home?"

"I'll call a cab. It's not your concern. Open the gates."

"Absolutely not, I'll take you." He said and I looked at his car, an Aston Martin, all black, shiny, and beautiful.

"Just open the fucking gates!" I screamed at him.

"Watch your fucking mouth!"

_Watch my mouth? Watch my bloody mouth?_

I wanted to thump him, fall to my knees and cry in frustration, proper howl at the moon wails. I felt such a fool, humiliated and ashamed.

"I'm not prepared to be a notch on your busy bedpost!" I spat.

I had a little more self-respect than that. Kind of.

"You actually believe that?!" He looked puzzled.

_This man is the ultimate player, seeing and taking what he wants when he wants it. Who does he think he is?_

Our confrontation was interrupted when his mobile started ringing and it was swiftly removed from his pocket.

"John?" He turned and started pacing. "Yeah... Okay." The call ended quickly. "I'll take you home." He held his hand out.

"No, please. Just open the gates." I was pleading, and it wasn't the tone I was aiming for.

"No, I'm not letting you out there on your own, Harry. End of conversation. You're coming with me."

"I'm not!"

"Yes, you are."

I snapped my head up when a car pulled off the main road.

"Fuck!" Louis roared, yanking his phone back out of his pocket while at the same time trying to make a grab for me as the gates started to open and I ran to grab my bag from my car.

"John, don't open the fucking gates!" He yelled into his phone. "Well, tell Hannah not to!"

As soon as the opening was big enough to allow, I squeezed through, just as they started closing again. I saw Louis run to his car, bashing something on the dashboard and the gates started opening again.

_Won't the man just give it a rest?_

I got my phone out and dialed a cab number as I started walking down the lane. The call connected and I went to speak, but the wind was knocked clean out of me when I was grabbed around my waist.

"What!" I screamed as I was hoisted from my feet, spun around and tossed over his shoulder.

"You're not wandering around on your fucking own, young man!" He grated, his tone full of authority, making me feel younger, or him older, I wasn't sure

"What's it got to do with you?!" I spat, boiling mad and bobbing up and down as he strode back to his car.

"Apparently, nothing, but I do have a conscious. You're not leaving here unless it's in my car. Do you understand me?" He placed me on my feet, grasped my elbow and guided me into his car before slamming the door and getting into my Mini to move it to the side of the driveway.

I smirked as I watched him yank the lever to slide the seat back as far as it went, but even at its furthest away from the wheel, he still struggled to cram his lean body in. He looked pretty stupid and I wanted to yell at him some more when the wheel spun and skidded to a stop. My poor Mini had never been so ill-treated.

He huffed his way back and threw himself in his car, giving me a ferocious scowl before he started the car and roared off.

The journey home was painfully silent and frighteningly fast. The man was a menace on the roads and I wished he would at least put the radio on to rid the car of the awkward silence.

I begrudgingly admired the interior of his DBS. I was cradled in the seat, with acres of black, quilted leather surrounding me, as I stared out of the window the whole way home. I felt his eyes fixed on me every so often, but I ignored it. Instead, I concentrated on the guttural roar of the engine as it ate up the road ahead.

_What has just happened?_


	6. ღ VI.

He pulled up outside Niall's after I directed him in with short, sharp instructions and I let myself out.

"Harry?" I heard him call me but I shut the car door and raced up the path to the house, cursing out loud when I realized he got my bloody car keys. I turned to make my way back down the path but I heard the roar of his engine burning off down the road. I screw my face up in my own private disgust knowing he did that on purpose so I would have to call him. He would be waiting for a long time considering I would rather go without my car. I traipsed back up the path and bashed on the door.

"Where are your keys?" Niall asked when he answered the door and I thought quickly of something.

"My car's having some new breaks. I forgot to remove my house keys." I said and he accepted my excuse with no further questions.

"There's a spare door key in the pot by the kitchen window." He ran back up the stairs and I followed, immediately opening a bottle of wine before rummaging through the fridge for something to eat.

Nothing took my fancy so wine would do.

Niall came breezing back into the kitchen, already jimmy-jammed up, and I couldn't wait to join him. I poured him a glass while trying to morph my face into anything other than the shocked expression that I knew was still visible.

"Good day?" I asked and he collapsed into one of the mismatching chairs around the chunky, pine table.

"I spent most of the day collecting cake stands. You would think people would be kind enough to return them!" He took a sip of his wine, gasping in appreciation and I joined him at the table.

"You need to start asking for a deposit..."

"I know. Hey! I have a date tomorrow night."

"With who?" I asked, wondering if that one would make it past the first.

"A very yummy client! He stopped by to collect a cake for his niece's first birthday, a Jungle Junction cake. How sweet is that?"

"Very sweet!" I agreed. "How did that come about?"

"I asked him." He shrugged and I laughed. His confidence was really charming.

He had to be holding the world record for first dates. The only long-term relationship he ever had was with my brother, but we don't talk about that since they split and Liam moved to Australia. Niall had been on endless dates, none of them progressing past the first.

"I'm going to get changed and give my mum a call..." I got up, taking my wine with me. "I'll meet you on the sofa soon!"

"Cool!"

I really needed to speak to my Mum. Niall was my best friend but no one couldn't beat your mother when you just wanted comfort. Not that I could tell her why I needed comforting, she would be horrified.

Once I changed into my baggy pants and a vest top, I flopped onto my bed and dialed my mum. It rang once before she answered.

 **"Harry?"** Her voice was shrill but still soothing.

"Hi, Mum."

**"Harry? Harry? Robin, I can't hear him. Am I doing it right? Harry?"**

"I'm here, mum. Can you hear me?"

 **"Harry? Robin, it's broken. I can't hear anything. Harry!"**  I heard my dad's muffled moans in the background before he came on the line.  **"Hello?"**

"Hi, Dad!" I yelled.

**"You don't have to bloody shout!"**

"She couldn't hear me!"

 **"That's because she had the bloody thing upside down, stupid woman."**  I heard my mum laugh in the background, followed by a slapping sound that was, without a doubt, her walloping my Dad's shoulder.

 **"Is he there? Can you hear him? Give me it here."**  There was a little scuffle before she was back on the line.  **"Harry? Are you there?"**

"Yes!"

_Why didn't I just ring the landline? She insisted I ring her new mobile so she could get the hang of it, but good God, she's hard work. She's only forty-seven but a complete technophobic._

**"Ah. That's better, I can hear you now. How are you?"**

"Good. I'm good, mum. You?"

 **"Yes, everything's fine! Guess what? We have exciting news!"**  She didn't give me a chance to guess.  **"Your brother's coming home to visit!"**

I sat up in excitement.

_Liam's coming home?_

I hadn't seen my brother for six months as he was living the dream on the Gold Coast as a surf instructor and only came home once or twice a year. We were so close. Niall was going to freak out over the news and not in a good way.

"When?" I decided to ask.

**"Next Sunday. Isn't it exciting? I was only saying to your dad last week that we should fly out to see him, but he won't get on a plane. You know what he's like."**

My dad's fear of flying was highly frustrating to my poor mum, who had to endure a two-day drive to Spain every year.

"Do you know what his plans are?" I pressed.

**"He's flying into Heathrow, coming straight down to Cornwall for the week to see me and dad, and then he's making his way back up to London. Will you come with him? You've not visited in weeks..."**

I suddenly felt rotten since I hadn't seen my parents for nearly eight weeks.

"I've been so busy at work, mum... I've got the Lusso launch, it's hectic but I'll try my best, okay?"

 **"I know, darling. How's Niall?"**  She asked. Mum still loved Niall, too. She was as devastated as I was when he and Liam called it quits.

"He's great."

 **"Good. Have you heard from Nicholas?"**  She asked tentatively and I knew she was hoping it was a big resounding no. She wasn't as devastated when Nicholas and I split up since he wasn't mum's favorite person. Come to think of it, Nicholas wasn't many people's favorite person. We had talked since we split but mum didn't need to know that.

"No, I'm just getting on with things..." I informed her, hearing her sigh in relief. I wouldn't volunteer exactly what I had been getting on with as I was too ashamed of myself.

**"Okay. Robin, get the door, will you? Harry, I've got to go. Sue's here to pick me up for yoga."**

"Okay, mum. I'll call next week."

 **"Okay. Good luck with your launch and have some fun!"**  She ordered and I knew she thought I wasted seven years on two worthwhile relationships.

She was right, I had.

"Bye, mum..." I said before hanging up.

Liam was coming home. That cheered me up a little, at least, and I always felt better when I spoke to my Mum. They were miles away and I missed them like crazy but I was comforted by the fact that they escaped the rat race of London, taking early retirement in Newquay after dad's heart attack scare.

My phone started ringing and I looked at the screen, expecting to see my mother's number, thinking that she probably forgot to lock the keypad and sat on it, but it was not.

It was Tomlinson.

"Ugh! Reject!" I huffed as I red buttoned him and threw my phone on my bed, leaving my bedroom to go and join Niall on the sofa, hearing it ring again as I walked down the hall but I ignored it.

The man was relentless but, at least, I didn't have to see him again. He gave me the perfect reason to flatly refuse designing anything for him.

**ººº**

"Morning!" I sang to Tom as I passed on his desk on Thursday.

He looked up at me over his thick-framed spectacles, a blatant fashion statement, and Tom's effort to be taken more seriously. I should tell him to lose the canary yellow dress shirt and grey trousers that were verging on leggings. That would do the trick.

"Did someone get laid?" He smirked. "Join the club, I'm exhausted!"

"No! Tom, you're such a tart!" I feigned a disgusted look as I threw my bag down on my desk. "Anything to report?" I asked to divert the conversation from Tom's sexcapades.

"Nope, I'm just going over to Miss Baines to give her a cuddle. You know, she rang me at eleven last night to ask if she could expect the electricians in this morning. Interrupted me right in the middle of-"

"Enough!" I held my hands up. "I don't want to know!" I sat down, swinging my chair around to face him.

"Apologies, darling. It was really good though!" He winked. "Anyway, she's in a panic because her summer ball is scheduled for July and she wants all the works completed in time. There's not a hope, darling! If she would just stop changing her bloody mind, then we might get somewhere!" He sprang up from his chair and air kissed me from ten feet away. "Au Revoir, darling!"

"Bye. Oh, where's Victoria?" I shouted after him.

"Appointments!" He said, shutting the door behind him.

I turned to face my desk as Sally placed a coffee in front of me. I picked it up immediately, taking a sip while she hovered at my desk nervously.

"Patrick called to remind you that he's not in today." She said.

"Thank you, Sally. Did you have a good weekend?" I asked and she smiled, nodding enthusiastically as she pushed her glasses up her nose.

"I did, thank you for asking... I finished my cross-stitch and cleaned all the windows, inside and out. It was wonderful." She said dreamily as she scurried off to file some invoices.

_Cleaning windows? Wonderful? The girl is sweet, but good Lord, she is as dull as dishwater._

I spent a few hours working through my email to clear my inbox. I checked if the final clean-up of Lusso was complete and grabbed my phone when it started dancing on my desk. I rolled my eyes when I saw who was illuminating my screen. He just wouldn't give up. The day before, it was a relentless bombardment of calls, all of which I rejected, and he was still at it. I had to speak to the man eventually considering he had something that I needed. My car.

At one o'clock, I left the office to meet Niall for lunch.

"Are there any decent men left in the world?" He asked thoughtfully, dabbing his mouth with a napkin. "I'm losing the will to live."

"It wasn't that bad, was it?" I asked. His date the evening before was a failure. When he walked into the apartment at nine thirty, I knew it couldn't be good news.

He dropped his napkin on his empty plate, pushing it away.

"Harry, when a man gets a calculator out at the end of a meal to work out what you owe, it's usually not a good sign!"

I laughed because it wasn't a good sign and it was equality going mad. The modern man needed to catch on to the fact that their dates wanted to be treated as equals, but only when it suited us. The modern man's fierce need for independence didn't mean they wanted to pay for our half of a meal or that they didn't want someone to hold a door open for them. They still wanted to be looked after, but on their terms.

"So, you won't be seeing him again?" I asked and he scoffed.

"No, the bill saga was bad enough. When he dropped me home in the taxi and accepted the twenty I offered him, it finished me off."

"You were a cheap date!" I giggled.

"Yeah!" He picked up his phone and started tapping away at the screen, holding it up to show me. "One BLT and two bottles of water, you owe twelve quid." We both had a little laugh at Niall's failed date. I loved that he could be so lighthearted about it because Niall maintained that it would happen when it happened and I was with him on that. "When will your car be ready?" He asked.

I was supposed to borrow it to Niall so he could go visit his Nan in Yorkshire on the next Saturday and it was Thursday already, making me realize I needed to sort it out soon.

"I'll give the garage a call later..." I assured him.

"I don't mind taking the van!"

"No, it's fine! I don't think Margo will get you there..." The car was a twenty-year-old, hot pink VW camper van that spat and fired all over London on cake deliveries. Niall's carbon footprint probably had to be huge.

My phone shouted and Niall leaned over to see who was calling me but I whipped it off the table, far too hastily. It was too late though. I looked at him nervously as I red buttoned Louis again, before placing it back on the table as casually as I could. My jumpy reaction didn't get past Niall.

"Louis..." He said with an arched brow. "What would he want?"

I didn't share any of the hideous events of Tuesday with Niall because I was just too ashamed.

"Who knows?" I shrugged.

"Have there been any more suggestive texts?"

Oh, more than texts. There were endless phone calls and the fact that he tricked me into going back to The Manor on the pretense that I was designing, only to have me trapped in one of his hotel suites so he could seduce me. Niall would thrive on my misfortune, which was exactly why I had not told him. If I didn't hear the words out loud, then I could almost pretend it didn't happen.

I was really a fool.

I had been thinking of little else and he was not helping me in my attempt to eradicate him from my mind with all his calls. I didn't need to get involved with anyone, especially someone who was already involved with someone else.

Besides, I was just a mission for him to accomplish. The man was a playboy and not the sort of man I needed to be getting involved with. He quite obviously had commitment issues and I didn't like Hannah, but I did feel sorry for her.

"No..." I answered with a sigh and he looked at me questioningly, making me feel like I was under examination, and I was.

"You deserve some fun..." He said thoughtfully. "After Nicholas, you definitely deserve some fun."

_Fun? I don't call getting tied up with an involved man fun by any stretch of the imagination. I call it stupid!_

I was keen not to get into a conversation about Nicholas since Niall didn't know that he still called me and then and I didn't even know why he did.

"I've got to get back to work..." I leaned over, giving Niall a peck on the cheek. "Luv ya!"

"Yeah, ditto. I'll be late tonight! There is a cake convention at The Hilton." He got up, waving me away when I tried to give him some money for lunch. "It's my turn!" I laughed, putting my money back in my pocket.

"Okay, but it's my shot next time!"

We left each other outside the bar as Niall headed back to his workshop and I headed back to the office.

**ººº**

I collapsed onto the sofa when I got home, needing an early night. Next day would be a long day at Lusso and I needed to be on form.

My phone rang and I rolled my eyes as I looked at the screen, but it wasn't who I expected it to be. It was Nicholas. I groaned to myself.

_When will my phone ring and it be someone that I actually want to speak to?_

"Hi..." I accepted the call but groaned.

 **"All right?"** He greeted with his usual confident tone.

"Yeah and you?" I knew he was fine, I heard he was going out almost every night, catching up on lost time. Not that our relationship prevented him from living exactly how he wanted to anyway.

 **"All good. I was ringing to wish you luck for tomorrow. It's tomorrow, right?"**  He asked and I was actually surprised that he remembered since he never really took an interest in my career.

"Yeah, thanks. I was just thinking about getting an early night."

 **"Oh, okay, I won't keep you then..."** He sounded a little disappointed.  **"I've boxed up the rest of your things."**

"Oh, alright..."

 **"There's no rush."** He added.  **"If you're free sometime, it would be nice to catch up."**

_It would? Catch up on what? How many men he has been sleeping with since I left? Even if it's nice that we're still on talking terms, I did spend four years with the guy, and he's taking the whole 'let's be friends' role a bit too far, treating me like one of his mates and filling me in about all of his latest conquests. I don't care, I'm not jealous, but I also don't want to hear about it._

"Sure, I'll call you someday..." I suggested.

**"Make sure you do, I miss you."**

_Whoa! Where did that come from? Is he drunk?_

"You do?" I asked, trying to hide the shock in my voice but it was quite clear, making him laugh.

**"I do. Good luck tomorrow."**

I hang up and sat wondering if it was time to collect my things and sever all ties since I was not so sure the friend's scenario was going to work with us.

_Does it ever work?_

My phone rang again but it was a number that I didn't recognize so I decided to accept it anyway since it could be because of work.

"Harry Styles!" I announced down the line but no answer came. "Hello?"

**"Are you alone?"**

The voice hit me like a sledgehammer to the gut. I stood up and sat back down again as visions of him standing half naked before me, pleading to me with his eyes, started to assault my mind.

_This is exactly why I've been avoiding his calls. The effect he has on me is unsettling and most unwelcome. Why didn't his name come up on my phone?_

"No." I lied, a sweat breaking out across my brow and I heard him sigh, a loud sigh.

**"Why are you lying to me?"**

I jumped back up from the sofa, wondering how the hell did he know. Darting across the lounge, my wine swishing out of my glass, I looked out of the window to the road but I couldn't see his car. In a panic and with a lump in my throat, I hung up but it rang again immediately. I chucked my phone onto the couch and let it ring off but then it rang again.

"Go away!" I yelled at the phone without even accepting the call.

I paced the lounge, biting my nails, and swigging my wine.

Tuesday's events flood back into my mind but not the bad stuff.

_Oh, no...it's all the bloody good stuff. How he made me feel, how his hands felt on me. Everything before I heard the shrill, cold voice of his boyfriend._

I slammed a lid on my thoughts immediately.

_I'm a pawn in his sexual exploits and he's probably feeling hard done by after I pulled the plug on his charade._

My phone declared a text message and I crept cautiously towards the sofa like my phone would launch itself upwards and bite me.

_For God's sake, I'm being pathetic._

I grabbed my phone and opened the damn text.

**Answer your phone!**

It rang again in my hand, making me jump, even though I was completely expecting it. He was relentless. I let it ring off again and, quite childishly, texted back.

**No!**

I paced some more, up and down, swigging wine, and clutching my phone. Not long before another text arrived.

**Fine, I'm coming in.**

"What? Oh no!" I shouted at my phone. One thing was ignoring the phone, but it was a whole other level of resistance trying to repel him when he was flesh and blood, looking right at me.

_Shit, shit, shit!_

I frantically pulled up my call log to call him and it only rang once.

 **"Too late, Harry."**  He drawled down the line and I stared at my phone in uncertainty, but then the banging on the door started.

"What the hell?"

I ran onto the landing, leaning over the banister as he hammered on the door.

"Open the door, Harry." He knocked again. "Harry, I'm not going anywhere until you talk to me, please!" I went near the top of the stairs, not knowing what to do. "I've got your keys, Harry, I can let myself in."

_Oh shit. He would as well. Okay, it's best if I'll let him in, listen to what he has to say and then he can leave. I need my car back, anyway. I'll just have to keep as far away from him as possible, keep my eyes closed and hold my breath so I can't smell him. I must not let him breach my defenses._

I put my glass down on the console table at the top of the stairs and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was everywhere, but at least it looked presentable, it could be worse.

_But why am I worried, anyway? The worse I look the better, surely? He needs telling to back off._

I stormed down the stairs in confident and determined strides, opening the door in a huff. I was doomed as I kept underestimating, or forgetting, the effect the man had on me.

_I'm fucking trembling already._

His hands were braced on the door frame as he looked up at me through hooded lids, panting, and looking really quite pissed. His brown hair was all disheveled, his stubble was back, and his pale pink shirt was undone at the collar, tucked into his grey trousers. He looked delicious.

"Why did you stop it?" His breathing labored.

"What?" I asked impatiently.

"Why did you run out on me?" He gritted his teeth.

"Because it was a mistake!" I grated, through equally gritted teeth. My irritation at his audacity overpowering the other more unwelcome effect he was having on me.

"It wasn't a mistake and you know it!" He ground. "The only mistake was me letting you go!" I went to push the door shut but his hand slammed against the other side to stop it. "Oh, no you don't!" He pushed against me, easily overpowering me and stepped into the hallway, slamming the door behind him. "You're not running this time! You've done it to me twice already, not again! You're going to face me!"

I felt small and weak as he towered over me, still breathing hard and I backed away but he walked forward, keeping the distance between us minimal. My plan to maintain space was failing fast and he smelled divine in all his minty freshwater magnificence.

"You need to leave, Niall will be home any minute..." I tried and he stopped his approach, scowling at me.

"Stop lying!" He snapped, slapping my hand away from my hair. "Quit the bullshit, Harry!"

I had no idea what to say to him as my defense wasn't working so maybe I had to try disinterest. He was incredibly thick-skinned and obviously used to getting what he wanted.

I turned away to walk back up the stairs.

"Why are you here?!" I asked but before I could make it very far, he was behind me, grabbing my wrist. He spun me around to face him, the contact putting me on instant red alert, and I knew I was on dangerous ground.

_Just being near this man turned me into a reckless, irrational fool and this was a plain kamikaze territory. Why did I let him in?_

"You know why!" He spat.

"Do I?!" I asked incredulously.

_I do, actually. Well, I think I do at least. He wants to pick up where we left off. He wants his mission accomplished._

"Yes, you do." He said simply and I yanked my wrist from his grip, backing up until my butt hit the wall behind me.

"Because you want to hear how loud I'll scream?!"

"No!"

"You are, undeniably, the most arrogant arsehole I've ever met! I'm not interested in becoming your sexual conquest!"

"Conquest?!" He snorted, turning away and commencing pointless pacing. "What fucking planet are you on, boy?!"

I stood there in utter shock.

_How dare he come here and start shouting the odds at me?_

I felt my unease disappear and my earlier irritation was starting to convert into a boiling rage. The urgent need to defend myself, to put him straight, had my jaw clenched to an aching point. His opinion of me was very low if he thought I would just jump into bed with any man I met. But then, I didn't have to answer to him and the fact that he had a girlfriend was immaterial at that point. He thought he could just take what he wanted or throw a wobbly if he met some resistance.

"Get out!" I finally said as he stopped pacing and looked at me.

"No!" He yelled, recommencing his marching and I started thinking about how to get him out of the house. I was never going to be able to manhandle him and touching him would be a massive mistake.

"I'm not fucking interested! Now, get out!" My shaky voice let down my cool front, but I stood firm.

"Watch your fucking mouth!"

"Get out!"

"Okay!" He said simply, quitting the marching to hammer me with his stare. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't want to see me again, and I'll go. You'll never have to lay eyes on me again."

That was easy.


	7. ღ VII.

That should be relatively easy, but to my utter shock, the thought of not seeing him again actually sent a nasty ache to my stomach, which was, of course, completely ridiculous.

He was a virtual stranger to me, but he did spark a reaction in me. He made me feel something that I was still not sure exactly what it was. But even at that moment, when I was raging at his damn nerve, I was fighting to control the unwanted reactions he sparked in me.

When I said nothing, he started advancing towards me, his long, even strides having him directly in front of me in just a few paces until there was barely an inch between us.

"Say it..." He breathed and I couldn't get my mouth to function. I was aware of my shallow breathing, pounding heart, and a dull throb in my groin. I was also alert to similar reactions emanating from him, I could see his heart hammering under his pale pink shirt. I could feel his heavy, minty breath on my face. I couldn't vouch for the throb, but I suspected it was there. The sexual tension ricocheting between our close bodies was tangible. "You can't, can you?" He whispered.

I couldn't but I was trying really hard but the bloody words wouldn't come out.

The proximity of our bodies and him breathing on me was re-establishing all of those incredible feelings. I was catapulted back to our previous encounter, except that time there was no risk of being interrupted by unfriendly girlfriends. Nothing to stop me, apart from my conscience but that was drowning in desire, so it was of no help to me, whatsoever.

He placed the tip of his finger on my shoulder, his touch sending an inferno racing through me and, slowly, lightly, he dragged his finger up the column of my neck until it rested at the sensitive pressure point under my ear and my heart went into overdrive.

"Boom... Boom... Boom..." He breathed. "I can feel it, Harry..." He whispered and I stayed rigid, pushing myself further into the wall.

"Please, leave..." I barely got the words out.

"Put your hand over my heart..." He whispered, grabbing my hand, and placing it on his chest. He didn't need to do that since I could see his heart going ten to the dozen under his shirt and I didn't need to feel it.

"What's your point?" I asked quietly, although I knew exactly what his point was. He was just as affected by me as I was by him.

"You are one stubborn man. Let me ask you the same question."

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly, still not looking at him.

"I mean, why are you trying to stop the inevitable? What's your point, Harry?" He wrapped his fingers around my neck, tilting my face up so I could meet his eyes. I was immediately consumed by them. His lips were parted and moist, his minty breath invading my nose, his blazing eyes staring down at me. His long lashes fanning his cheekbones as he leaned down so his lips brushed my ear, making me release a quiet gasp. "There it is..." He murmured as he trailed feathery light kisses down the side of my throat. "You feel it..."

I did and I was incapable of stopping it.

Any rational thinking was besieged and I was completely immobilized. My brain had shut down and my body was taking over. As his mouth worked its way across my jaw, I resided myself to the fact that I was lost to him.But then I heard the sound of a mobile phone ringing. It was not mine but the interruption was enough to snap me out of the trance he sent me into. I rose my hands to his firm chest and shoved him away.

"Stop, please!" I begged and he pulled away, yanking his phone from his pocket.

"Fuck!" He rejected the call and looked at me. "You still haven't said it." I was staggered by my inability to utter some very simple words.

"I'm not interested..." I whispered, sounding desperate, and I knew it. "You have to stop this. Whatever you think you felt, what you think I felt, you're mistaken." I didn't mention Hannah because that would be admitting that I could feel something, that she was the only reason I was stopping this.

"I don't want you..." I murmured, looking straight into his blue eyes. It actually caused me physical pain and I was shocked. He inhaled sharply, looking wounded.

"I don't believe you." He said softly, flicking his eyes to my twiddling fingers and I removed them instantly, not believing myself either.

"You should." I defined the words clearly and it took every bit of strength I had.

We stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity but I was the first to look away. I could think of nothing more to say and I silently implored him to leave before I took the dangerous path I knew I would be. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, cursed, and stalked out. When the front door slammed behind him, I allowed air to rush into my lungs as I sag against the wall.

That was, irrefutably, the most difficult thing I had ever done, which was crazy because, by reason, it should have been the easiest. I couldn't even begin to understand the whys and wherefores of it. His wounded expression when I conformed to his demands to deny that I wanted him had nearly crippled me and I just wanted to scream that I felt it too, but that would have put me against the wall with Louis buried deep inside me and, while the thought of that made me shiver with pleasure, it would be a gargantuan mistake.

I felt riddled with guilt at my deplorable behavior. The man was a cheating arse, an Adonis to boot but a cheating arse, nonetheless. Everything about that man screamed trouble and he still left with my fucking keys.

I shuddered and headed for a shower, content that I did the right thing, that I put Louis Tomlinson in his place and saved myself another boat load of guilt.

I just had to ignore the painful ache in my gut because acknowledging it would be as good as admitting out loud, to myself and Louis, that I felt it too.

**ººº**

I was wide awake and my alarm hadn't even gone off. On a long, drawn-out sigh, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom to take a shower.

I had a busy day at Lusso ahead of me so I should as well get started. I didn't sleep for shit and I was completely ignoring the reason why.

I was going to be on my feet all day, traipsing around the complex ensuring everything was just right, so I chucked on some baggy ripped jeans, I couldn't bear to throw them away, a white burnt out t-shirt and my Converse. I brushed my hair into something quick and prayed it would behave later when I blew it up for the evening. I doubted I would have time to return home and shower so I got my mini suitcase and loaded it with everything I would need to shower at Lusso later. I retrieved a suit bag and put my chosen outfit in, smoothing it neatly and quietly hoping it wouldn't crease. Lastly, I grabbed my black boots, my black onyx studs, and checked if my work case was loaded with everything needed at Lusso.

It was going to be a ball ache lugging it all on the tube but I had no other option with my car still being kept captive by a certain hot-headed, arrogant male. Niall would as well be taking Margo to Yorkshire.

As I walked down the stairs, I saw my car keys laying on the doormat.

_So, the man's seen sense and freed my car. Does this mean he also saw sense and given up pursuing me? Has he got the message? Perhaps he has because there have been no calls or texts since he steamed out last night. Am I disappointed? I don't even have time to consider this._

"I'm off!" I shouted through to Niall. "My car's back!" I said and he poked his head around the door of his workshop.

"Great, good luck! I'll be there later to drink all the expensive champagne!"

"Oh, yes! See you later!" I ran down the path, halting when I saw a cheap mobile phone smashed to pieces in the middle of the pavement, immediately knowing where that came from. I kicked it into the gutter and continued to my car, thinking it was good to have her back. I loaded my things into the boot and jumped into the driver seat, only to find myself miles away from the steering wheel.

Laughing, I shifted the seat forward so my feet could reach the pedals, starting her up and jumped out of my skin when the stereo blasted Blur around my car. I turned it down, faltering when the words of the track registered. It was the Country House. I fought the small part of me that wanted to laugh at his little joke and removed the disc from the stereo, thinking I had never come across anyone so conceited in all my life.

I replaced the unwanted CD with a Ministry of Sound Chillout Session and headed for St Katharine Docks.

**ººº**

When I pulled up outside Lusso, I presented my face to the camera and the gates opened immediately. I parked up and saw the caterers unloading crockery and glasses as I got my work case from the boot and headed into the building. I had been there a million times but I was still completely stunned by the pure extravagance of the place.

As I walked into the foyer, I saw Clive, one of the concierges, playing with the new computer equipment. He was part of a team who would provide a six-star hotel-style service, organizing anything from grocery shopping and theatre tickets to helicopter charters and dinner reservations. I crossed the marble floor, which had been polished to within an inch of its life and headed towards Clive's huge curved concierge desk.

I spotted dozens of black vases and hundreds of Italian red roses, placed carefully to the side. At least I wouldn't have to chase the delivery of those.

"Good morning, Clive!" I said, approaching his desk and he looked up from one of the screens, the panic on his friendly face clear.

"Harry, I've read this manual four times in a week and I'm still clueless! We never had anything like this at The Dorchester!"

"It can't be that difficult!" I soothed the old boy. "Have you asked the surveillance team?" I asked and he threw his glasses down on the desk in exasperation, rubbing his eyes.

"Yes, three times now. They must think I'm daft."

"You'll be fine!" I assured him. "When do they start moving in?"

"Tomorrow. Are you all set for tonight?"

"Ask me again this afternoon. I'll see you in a bit!" I said and he smiled at me.

"Okay, love." He turned his attention back to his instruction manual, muttering under his breath.

I traipsed across the floor and punched in the code for the penthouse elevator. It was private and the only one that went to the top floor.

I set about transporting and spreading the vases and flowers between the fifteen floors of the building. Arranging those would keep me busy for a while.

**ººº**

At ten thirty, I was back in the foyer to arrange the last of my flowers on the console tables that lined the foyer.

"I have flowers for a Mister Styles."

I looked up, seeing a young girl gazing around at the impressive lobby.

"Sorry?" I asked and she pointed to her clipboard.

"I have a delivery for Mister Styles." She explained and I rolled my eyes.

_Don't tell me they've duplicated an order of over four hundred Italian red roses. That really would take incompetence to a whole new level._

"I've already taken delivery of the flowers..." I said tiredly, walking towards her. I noticed the van outside but it was not the florist I ordered through.

"Have you?" She looked a bit panicky as she flicked through the papers on her clipboard.

"What have you got?" I asked.

"A bouquet of calla lilies for Mister..." She looked at her clipboard again. "Mister Harry Styles."

"I'm Harry Styles."

"Cool, I'll be back in two seconds." She ran off, returning swiftly. "This place is like Fort Knox!" She exclaimed and handed me the biggest spray of calla lilies I had ever seen, stunning, white, clean flowers surrounded by stacks of deep green foliage.

Understated elegance.

My stomach did a few cartwheels as I signed the delivery girl's paperwork and took the flowers from her, finding the card among the forest of green.

**I'm so sorry. Forgive me, please. X**

_Is he? He already apologized for his inappropriate behavior and looked where that got me._

I started to wonder how he knew I was there but then I remembered him picking out Lusso in my portfolio. It wouldn't take a lot of effort to find out the launch date and figure I would be there. My contentment of the evening before, after Louis left the house, was slowly dissipating.

_He's never going to give up, is he? Well, he can knock himself out. Knock himself out? Where did that..._

I flattened that thought immediately, smiling to myself, and placed the flowers on the concierge desk.

"Here, Clive. Let's pretty up all this black marble!" He looked up briefly before returning to scratch his head, looking overwhelmed. I left him to it, getting on with my walkthrough to ensure everything was in place and ready.

**ººº**

Victoria turned up at five thirty, looking her usual immaculate self, all blonde hair, blue eyes and overdone.

"Sorry, I'm late! The traffic is a nightmare and there is nowhere to park!" She gazed around. "They're all reserved for guests. What can I do, I'm so excited!" She sang at me while stroking the walls of the penthouse.

"I'm all done. I just need you to do a walk through to make sure there's nothing that I've missed..." I led her into the main space.

"Oh my God, Harry, it looks amazing!"

"It's great, isn't it? I've never had such a colossal budget. It was fun spending so much of someone else's money!" We giggled together. "Have you seen the kitchen?" I asked.

"I've not seen it complete. I bet it's incredible."

"It is, you go and take a look. I'm going to get myself ready in the spa area. I've done everything in the other apartments so concentrate up here, this is where the action will be. Make sure all the cushions are plumped and in place, I want the peppers on the chopping boards shiny. Use Pledge! The mini Dyson is here. Hoover up any stray bits on the bedroom carpets!" I handed her the fully charged, handheld hoover. "Just use your initiative. If there's anything you're not sure of, make a note. Okay?" She grabbed the hoover from me.

"I love these things!" She revved the Dyson, posing like a cowboy in a standoff.

"How old are you?" I asked on an eye roll and she screwed her face up, grinning and set off to follow through on my instructions.

An hour later, after utilizing all of Lusso's fancy spa facilities, I was ready. My suit was creaseless and my hair was behaving. I took a little wander around.

It would be my last time there and it would soon be crowded with business people and high society, so I made the most of my last opportunity to savor the sheer magnificence of the place.

It was mind-blowing and I still couldn't believe it was my work.

I smiled to myself as I stood in the colossal open space on the first floor. Bi-folding doors leading to an L shaped terrace, with limestone paving, a decked area, sun loungers, and a huge Jacuzzi. There was a study, a dining room, a huge archway leading into a ridiculously large kitchen, and a backlit onyx staircase that rose to the four en-suite bedrooms and a massive master suite. The spa, fitness center, and swimming pool, on the ground floor of the building, were exclusive to the residents of Lusso, but the penthouse boasted its own gym.

It was stunning. Whoever bought the place definitely liked the finer things in life and for a cool ten million, they got it.

I made my way back to the kitchen and found Victoria, still armed with the Dyson.

"All done!" She declared as she hoovered up a stray crumb on the marble worktop.

"Well, then, let's drink!" I smirked and picked up two glasses of champagne, handing one to Victoria.

"Here's to you, Harry! Stylish in the body and in the mind!" She giggled, raising her glass in a toast. We both swag and sighed. "Wow! This is good." She looked at the bottle.

"Ca'Del Bosco, Cuvée Annamaria Clementi, 1993. It's Italian, of course." I raised my brow and Victoria giggled again.

I heard chatter coming from the entrance hall so I wandered out of the kitchen, finding Tom gawking like a goldfish and Patrick smiling proudly.

"Harry, this is some serious special, darling!" Tom ran at me, throwing his arms around my body. He pulled back, looking me up and down. "Love the Suit. Very tight."

I wish I could say the same for Tom, who took color clash to extreme levels. I squinted at his bright blue shirt and red tie combo.

"Put the boy down, Tom! You'll crease him!" Patrick grumbled, gently shoving him aside and leaning down to peck me on the cheek. "I'm very proud of you, flower. You've done a marvelous job, and between me and you..." He leaned into my ear and whispered. "The developer has hinted they want you on board for the next project in Holland Park." He winked at me, his wrinkled face wrinkling further. "Now, where's that champagne?"

"This way!" I led them into the huge kitchen, hearing more cooing from Tom. The place really was that special. "Cheers!" I chanted, after handing them all a glass of champagne.

"Cheers!" They all raised their glasses.

**ººº**

I spent a few hours being introduced to high society and explaining my inspiration behind the design. Journalists from architecture and interior magazines swan around taking photographs and generally poking about. Much to my displeasure, they hustled me onto velvet chaise lounge for a shot. Patrick dragged me from pillar to post, proclaiming his pride and insisting, to anyone that would listen, that I've single-handedly put Rococo Union on the designers' map. I blushed profusely, repeatedly playing down his declarations.

I was thankful when Niall showed up. I ushered him into the kitchen, thrusting a glass of champagne in his hand and took another for myself.

"Bit posh, eh?" He mused, gazing around the plush kitchen. "It makes my place look like a cluttered mess!"

I laughed at the referral to his cute homely townhouse that looked like Cath Kidston had vomited, sneezed, and coughed all over it.

"You mean impressive, I'm sure!"

"Yes, that too. I couldn't live here though..." He said with no shame at all but I was not offended. While I was proud of the finished result, the sheer vastness of the place still intimidated me.

"Me neither." I concurred.

"I saw Nicholas earlier..." He downed his champagne, immediately scooping up another from a tray as a waiter passed.

"Oh, I bet that was nice for you!" I teased, imagining Niall hissing and spitting like a cat at poor Nicholas. Although, it was no less than he deserved.

"No, it wasn't. The part where he told me that you were going out for dinner with him was particularly unpleasant!" He pursed his lips at me. "Harry, what are you thinking?! I'm here to threaten you."

"Oh, and there was me thinking you'd come to support your friend in his working triumph!" I raised my eyebrows.

"Pah! Your working life is not an area in which you need support. On the other hand, your personal life is very interesting lately!" He jiggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

_I know exactly what he means. Damn Nicholas as well. We're not even together anymore and he still can't resist winding Niall up._

I feigned a hurt face.

"You don't need to worry. I assure you, I'm not going back to that. I'm enjoying being man free, and that isn't going to change anytime soon. Anyway, for the record, Nicholas is winding you up." I sipped my champagne.

"Not even for a tall handsome slightly older one?" He grinned and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Not even that!" I confirmed.

"Oh, don't be such a bore!"

"Excuse me?!" That time, my hurt expression wasn't feigned. I looked at him in disbelief, genuinely hurt by his harsh remark. I waited for him to backtrack, but he didn't. Instead, he was looking over my shoulder with the biggest smirk on his face.

Inpatient and quite pissed off with him, I swung around to find out what caught his amused attention.

"He's like a bad penny, isn't he?'" He remarked coolly.

 _Oh, he has no idea._   


	8. ღ VIII.

I didn't even fill him in on any of the developments since Niall met him at lunch and there he was again, standing and chatting with the acting estate agent, wearing a navy suit and pale blue shirt, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a file. He looked, as always, like a fucking God and, as if he could sense me staring, he looked up and our eyes met.

"Shit!" I cursed, turning back to Niall. He dragged his gaze from Tomlinson and onto me, his eyes dancing with delight.

"You know, I was going to go home and cry into my Haagen-Dazs, Bridgette Jones style, but I think I'll just hang around for a bit. You mind?" He sipped his drink through his grin, while I snarled at him. "This is not the behavior of someone, supposedly, unmoved by a certain someone, Harry!" He teased.

"I went to The Manor on Tuesday and nearly slept with him!" I blurted.

"What?!" Niall spluttered, grabbing a napkin to mop up the trail of champagne that was dripping down his chin.

"He apologized for the text he sent. I went back to The Manor and he had the big guy lock me in a room where he was waiting for me half naked!"

"Get out! Oh my God. Who's the big guy?"

"Well, he's not a butler. I've no idea what role he plays. Trapping men for Tomlinson, maybe."

"Why haven't you told me this?!"

"It was a disaster! I ran out when I heard his girlfriend calling him! Tomlinson screwed and turned up at the house last night making demands!" The urgency to bring Niall up to speed had me spitting out the basic facts in a rush.

"Fuck! What sort of demands?" He was shocked and he should be, it was really shocking.

"I don't know, the man is an arrogant arse! He asked me how loud I'd scream when he would fuck me!" I said and he spat more champagne.

"He what?! Fuck, Harry, he's coming over, he's coming over!" He shifted on the spot, his eyes still skipping with amusement.

I started planning my escape but before my brain could even instruct my legs to move, I felt him standing behind me and I could even smell him.

"Nice to see you again, Niall." He drawled. "Harry?"

I remained with my back to him, knowing all too well that if I turned to acknowledge him, I would be hauled into the hazardous place that was Louis Tomlinson's realm, a place where I struggle to maintain any rational thinking. I drained my reserve tank of strength last night and I've not had a chance to replenish it yet.

That was not good news. He said I wouldn't have to see him again and if I told him what he didn't want to hear, then I would never have to see him again. I met the terms of his demand and yet he was not keeping his end of the bargain.

Niall's eyes were darting between us, waiting for one of us to say something and I certainly wouldn't be the first.

"Louis." He nodded at him. "Excuse me, I need to powder my nose." He placed his empty glass on the worktop and beat feet while I mentally cursed his arse to Hell.

Louis circled around me so he would be standing before me.

"You look stunning..." He murmured.

"You said I wouldn't have to see you again." I challenged him, ignoring his compliment.

"I didn't know you would be here." He said and I looked at him tiredly.

"You sent me flowers!"

"Oh, so I did." A smile tickled the edge of his lips.

"Please, excuse me..." I went to side step him, but he moved with me, effectively blocking my path.

"I was hoping for a tour."

"I'll get Victoria, she'll be happy to show you around."

"I would prefer you."

"So you don't get a fucking tour!" I snapped and he frowned.

"Will you watch your mouth?"

"Sorry..." I muttered indignantly. "And put my seat back when you drive my car!" He grinned a real boyish grin, and I was even more furious with myself when my heart speeded up, telling myself I should not let him see the effect he had on me. "And leave my music alone!"

"I'm sorry..." His eyes flickered with mischievousness, so bloody sexy. "Are you okay? You look a little shaky..." He reached out, softly running his finger down my arm. "Is something affecting you?" I jerked.

"Not at all!" I needed to get off that line of conversation. "Do you want a tour?"

"I would love a tour." He looked pleased with himself.

On a huff, I led him out of the kitchen and into the massive living space.

"Lounge." I waved my hand about in the general space around us. "You've seen the kitchen!" I said over my shoulder as I walked through the open space and onto the terrace. "View." I maintained my tired tone, hearing him laugh lightly behind me.

"Beautiful..."

I led him back through the lounge to the workout room, not saying a word as we trek through the penthouse. Louis shook hands, greeting various people on our trip, but I didn't pause to allow him time to stop and chat, marching on in a bid to get it over with as soon as possible. I damned the place for being so big.

"Gym!" I started again, walking in and abruptly leaving again when he entered. I headed for the stairs, hearing him laugh behind me. I took the backlit onyx staircase, proceeding to open and shut doors, one at a time while declaring what lied beyond. We reached the pièce de résistance, the master suite, and I waved my hand round at the dressing room and en-suite bathroom.

The place really did deserve more passion and time than the one I was devoting.

"You're an expert tour guide, Harry!" He teased, regarding one of my favorite pieces of art. "Care to enlighten me on the artist?"

"Giuseppe Cavalli!" I tossed the name at him, folding my arms over my chest.

"It's good. Is there any particular reason why you chose this artist?" He was blatantly trying to tempt me into a conversation.

I stared at his broad, suit covered back, his hands resting lightly in his trouser pockets, his lean legs slightly spread. My eyes were very pleased, but my brain was a jumbled mess. I sighed and decided, wisely or not, to indulge him. Giuseppe Cavalli most definitely deserved my time and enthusiasm. I dropped my arms and walked over to join him in front of the piece.

"He was known as the master of light..." I said and he looked at me with genuine interest. "He didn't think that the subject was of any importance, it didn't matter what he photographed. To him, the subject was always light. He concentrated on controlling it. See?" I pointed to the reflections on the water. "These rowing boats, as lovely as they are, are just boats, but see how he manipulates the light? He didn't care for the boats, he cared for the light surrounding the boats. He makes inanimate objects interesting, makes you look at the photograph in a different... Well, a different light, I suppose." I tilted my head and observed the picture.

I would never be tired of it as simple as it seemed, the more you looked at it, the more you got it.

After a few moments of silence, I ripped my eyes away from the canvas, finding Louis staring at me and our eyes met. He was chewing his bottom lip and I knew I wouldn't be able to say no again if he pushed it. I was all out of willpower, I've never felt so desired than when I was with him, and I kept trying to fool myself that the feeling is unwanted.

"Please don't..." My voice was barely audible.

"Don't what?"

"You know what... You said I wouldn't have to see you again..."

"I lied..." He shrugged, not even ashamed. "I can't stay away from you, so you do have to see me again... And again... And again." He finished the last part of his declaration slowly and clearly, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

I gasped, instinctively backing away from him.

"No..."

"You persistently fighting this is only making me more determined to prove that you want me..." He started slowly pursuing me, taking slow, cautious steps forward, maintaining his deep eye contact as he did. "I'm making it my mission objective, I'll do anything..."

I stopped my retreat when I felt the bed at the back of my knees. In two more strides, he would be upon me and the thought of imminent contact was enough to snap me out of the trance he sent me into.

"Stop!" I held my hand up in front of me, halting him in his tracks. "You don't even know me!" I blurted, in a desperate attempt to make him see how crazy that was.

"I know you're impossibly beautiful..." He started walking towards me again. "I know what I feel, and I know that you're feeling it too." We were body to body, and my heart was hammering in my throat. "So, tell me, Harry. What have I missed?"

"Just stop!"

I tried to control my rushed breaths, but with my chest heaving and my body physically shaking, I was struggling. I dropped my head, ashamed at the tears gathered in my eyes.

_Why am I crying? Is he enjoying reducing me to tears? This is hideous. He's so desperate to fuck me, he's resorting to stalking me, and I'm crying because I'm so weak. He makes me weak, and he has no right to._

I felt his hand slide under my chin and the warmth would be welcome if I didn't think he was such an arsehole. He tugged at my jaw to raise my head and when our eyes met, he winced at my tears.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered softly, sliding his hand around to cup my cheek, slowly stroking the rolling tears away with his thumb., his expression in pure torment.

"You said you would leave me alone..." I looked at him questioningly as he continued to smooth his thumb over my face.

"I lied, I'm sorry... I told you, I can't stay away..."

"You already said that you're sorry, but here you are again! Should I expect flowers tomorrow?!" I couldn't hide my sarcasm.

His thumb paused and he dropped his head, ashamed. But then he lifted his head, our eyes connected and his gaze dropped to my lips.

_Oh, no. Please, no. I'll never be able to stop this._

He began searching my eyes, looking for any sign that I was going to block him. I should, but I didn't think I could. His lips parted and they slowly started lowering to mine, making me hold my breath. As our lips brushed, only very lightly, my body gave away, prompting my hands to fly up and bunch his jacket in my fists. He growled his approval as he moved his hands to the base of my spine and pushed my body closer to him, our lips hovering over each other, our breaths mingling. We both shaking uncontrollably.

"Have you ever felt like this?" He breathed, running his lips across my cheek to my ear.

"Never..." I answered honestly, my short, gasping breath unrecognizable. He gripped the lobe of my ear between his teeth and tugged gently, letting the flesh drag through his bite.

"Are you ready to stop fighting it now?" He whispered, tracing down the edge of my ear with the tip of his tongue, working his way back up and brushing his lips lightly over the sensitive flesh under my ear. His hot breath caused a rush of heat to crash between my thighs and I started to feel my dick growing harder.

I couldn't fight it anymore.

"Oh, God..." I breathed and his lips returned to mine to hush me.

He took them gently, and I accepted it, letting our tongues roll and lap together at a steady, non-urgent pace. My whole body was on fire and I realized my hands were aching from gripping his jacket too hard so I released them, moving them to the back of his neck to stroke the light brown hair on his nape, making him moan before releasing my mouth.

It was just too good.

"Is that a yes?" He fixed me with his sludgy eyes.

"Yes..." I whispered. Nodding his head, only very slightly, he kissed my nose, my cheek, my forehead, and returned to my mouth.

"I need to have all of you, Harry. Say I can have all of you."

_All of me? What does he mean by all of me? Mind? Soul? But he doesn't mean that, does he? No, he wants all of my body and right now._

My conscience had completely failed me, I needed to get that man out of my system and he needed to get me out of his system.

"Take me..." I said quietly against his lips.

"Oh, I will!"


	9. ღ IX.

Keeping his lips firmly against mine, he wrapped one arm around my waist and splayed the other across the back of my head. Lifting me from my feet, he deepened his kiss and walked me across the room until my back was against a wall. Our tongues were dancing together wildly, my hands moving down his back, wanting closer contact.

I grabbed the front of his jacket and started pushing it off of his shoulders, forcing him to release his hold of me. He kept our lips locked, stepping back slightly to give me space to rid him of the obstruction to his body. I tossed it on the floor, taking my jacket as well, grabbing his shirt and yanked him towards me, all my previous battling of conscious long forgotten.

I had to have him.

Our bodies smashed together and he pushed me up the wall, devouring my mouth.

"Fucking hell, Harry." He panted through strangled breaths. "You drive me crazy."

He rolled his hips, pressing our erections together, milking a small cry from my lips. I fisted my hands in his hair, moaning in an invitation as it was past stoppable. My body had gone into cruise control, the stop button lost somewhere in the land of lust.

I felt his palms resting on the front of my hips, the bottom of my shirt bunched in his fists and pulled it off my body. His hips rolled again and I whimpered, needing more and not knowing how I had resisted it.

He bit my bottom lip and released me, pulling his face away and looked me straight in the eyes. He rolled his hips again, grinding hard against my groin. My head fell back on a deep moan, giving him open access to my throat, which he took full advantage of, licking, sucking, and lapping at the hollow. I could weep with pleasure but then I heard voices coming from outside of the room and reality came crashing down around me.

I was in the master suite of the penthouse, topless and had Louis at my throat. There were hundreds of people milling about downstairs and someone could walk in at any moment. Someone would walk in at any moment.

"Louis..." I panted, trying to get his attention. "Louis, people are coming, you have to stop!" I wriggled a little, causing our erections to brush against each other again. I banged my head against the wall to try and halt the stab of pleasure it caused. He groaned, long and low.

"I'm not letting you go, not now."

"We need to stop..."

"No!" He growled.

"We'll do this later..." I tried to pacify him.

"That leaves you too much time to change your mind..." He nibbled my neck.

"I won't change my mind..." I gripped his jaw, pulling his face to mine so we were nose to nose. I looked him squarely in his sludgy pools of blue. "I will not change my mind."

He scanned my eyes, looking for the reassurance he needed but I couldn't be any more resolute.

_I want this. Yes, I might have time to evaluate the situation, but right now, I'm certain I'll see this through. He's just way too tempting to resist and God I've tried._

He kissed me hard on the lips and pulled away.

"Sorry, I can't risk it." He scooped me up into his arms and stalked towards the bathroom.

"What?! They'll want to see in there too!"

"I'll lock the door. No screaming." He looked at me with a small smirk and I looked at him shocked but I laughed though.

"You have no shame!"

"No. My cock has been aching since last Friday, I finally have you in my arms and you've seen some sense. I'm going nowhere and neither are you."

He kicked the door shut behind him, placing me between the sink on the marble vanity unit before returning to lock the door. My shirt and our jackets were somewhere in that room where everyone could enter and see.

I gazed around the vast room that I was so familiar with, my eyes falling on the gigantic, cream, marble bath dominating the center of the room. I smiled, remembering the trauma of having to organize a crane to lift it in through the windows. It was a nightmare but it did look spectacular. The double, open-ended shower on the back wall made up of a floor to ceiling sheeted glass and beige Travertine tiles and the vanity unit that I've been placed on in a cream tone, Italian marble, with two sunken sinks and large waterfall taps. A thick, gold framed, intricately carved mirror spanning the entire width of the unit, and a chaise lounge sat at an angle in the window. A really luxury embodied.

I heard the lock click into place, snapping me from admiring my work and pulling my eyes to the door, where Louis was watching me closely. As he sauntered towards me, he slowly started unbuttoning his shirt. I watched him gain on me, his mouth lax, his eyes hooded while anticipation had my stomach churning and my thighs clenched shut.

The man was absolutely stunning.

With his final button unfastened, he stood before me with his shirt draped open. I couldn't resist reaching up and running my finger down the center of his hard, tanned chest. He looked down to follow my trail, placing his hands on either side of my hips, nudging his way between my thighs. As he looked at me, his lips tipped at the edges and his eyes sparkled, the slight crease at the corner softening the usual intensiveness of them.

"You can't escape now." He teased.

"I don't want to."

"Good." He mouthed, dragging my eyes to his lovely lips.

I trailed my finger back up his chest, working my way past his throat until my finger rested on his bottom lip. He opened his mouth, biting my finger playfully and I smiled, continuing upwards to run my hand through his hair.

"I like your jeans..." He dragged his eyes down my front and I followed his stare to the material around my legs.

"Thank you!"

"It's a bit tight." He tugged at a piece of material.

"It is." I agreed, the anticipation killing me.

"Shall we remove it?" He cocked a brow at me, the corners of his mouth twitching and I smiled.

"If you like."

"Or maybe, we leave it half way?" He broke into a full-on smile as he held his hands up. I melted all over the vanity unit and he slid his hands around my thighs. "But then again, I have first-hand knowledge of what's under this lovely jeans." He reached up, grasping the zipper, breathing into my ear as he did. "And it's far superior to the jeans..." He whispered, pulling it down slowly, teasingly, making me pant hard and desperate. "I think we'll get rid of it." He lifted me off of the counter, placing me on my feet before pulling my jeans away from my body and letting it drop to the floor. I kicked it to the side without taking his eyes off of him and I frowned at him.

"I like those jeans..."

I couldn't give a toss about the jeans. He could have ripped it off and cleaned the windows with it, for all I cared.

"I'll buy you a new pair."

He shrugged as he placed me back on the counter, resuming position between my thighs. He pressed his body up against me and grabbed my bum, pulling me in towards him so we were locked tight together. He ground his hips while staring at me.

The throb at my extension was bordering on painful and I was at serious risk of falling apart if he continued with that alone. I wanted to tell him to hurry up as I was struggling to control myself but I didn't say anything.

Looking into my eyes, he lifted his hand and placed it, palm down, under my throat.

"I can feel your heart hammering." He said quietly. "You're so affected by me."

I was not going to challenge him on that statement as he was right, and I was not even bothering to try and fight it anymore.

He glided his palm down between my nipples until it was resting on my stomach, as he looked at me, all smoldering and delicious.

"You're too fucking beautiful, young man..." He ground firmly. "I think I'll keep you..."

I arched my back, thrusting my chest forward and he smiled before lowering his mouth and taking my nipple deep, sucking hard. When he brought his hand up to massage my other nipple, I moaned, letting my head fall back against the mirror.

_Oh, good, God. The man is a genius._

His cock was hard as lead, pressing against my own erection, caused me to roll my hips to ease the throb on a long, drawn out moan. I wanted to soak up the pleasure because it was so good, but the need to have him was getting the better of me, the pressure in my groin near to the exploding point. As if reading my mind, he skated his hand down my back, finding the edge of my panties. One finger breached the barrier, lightly brushing the tip of my hole as I arched my body up a little.

"Shit!" I cried, throwing myself up to grab his shoulders, digging my nails into his strained muscles.

"Language, young boy." He tusked, then slammed his lips against mine, plunging two fingers into me.

My muscles grabbed onto him as he worked his fingers in and out. I felt the fast buildup of an impending orgasm and I knew it was going to blow me apart. Holding onto his shoulders for dear life, I moaned into his mouth as he continued his assault inside me.

_Oh, here it is. I might, literally, die of pleasure._

"Come..." He commanded, applying some pressure on my balls and without even touching my cock.

I fell apart on an explosion of stars, releasing his mouth, and tossed my head back into a complete frenzy. He grabbed my head, yanking it forward to tackle my mouth, catching the tail end of my cries.

I was panting, shaking, and boneless as I disintegrated all over him, completely inhibited and unashamed of what he did to me. I was delirious with pleasure. His kiss softened and his thrust slowed down, easing me gradually down as he scattered tender kisses all over my damp, warm face.

Too good, just too, too good.

I felt him brush a stray tendril of hair from my forehead and I opened my eyes, meeting a sludgy blue satisfied stare. He planted a soft kiss on my lips and I sighed. I felt like a lifetime of pent-up pressure had been extinguished, just like that. I was relaxed and sated.

"Better?" He asked, sliding his fingers out of me.

"Hmhm..." I hummed considering I had no energy to speak.

He passed his thumb on my cum, dragging it across my bottom lip and he leaned into me, watching me closely as he ran his tongue across my mouth, licking the remnants of my orgasm away. His eyes burning straight through me as we gazed at each other in silence. My hands, instinctively, reached up to cup his face, smoothing down his freshly shaven face.

The man was beautiful, intense and passionate, he could easily break my heart.

He smiled lightly, turning his face to kiss my palm before returning his eyes to mine.

_Oh Lord, I'm in trouble._

We were both cruelly snatched from the intensity of the moment when the door handle of the bathroom was jiggled from the other side. I gasped and Louis slapped his palm over my mouth, looking at me in amusement.

"I can't hear anything..." A strange voice came through the door, followed by another rattle of the handle, my eyes bulged in horror. He removed his hand, replacing it with his lips.

"Shhh..." He mumbled against my mouth.

"Oh God, I feel cheap..." I whined, leaving his lips and dropping my head to his shoulder.

_How am I going to walk out of this place without burning bright red and looking as guilty as sin?_

"You're not cheap. Talk crap like that and I'll be forced to kick your delicious ass all over my bathroom." He said and I snapped my head up from his shoulder, looking at him in confusion.

"Your bathroom?"

"Yes, my bathroom." He smirked at me. "I wish they would stop strangers roaming around my home." He mused.

"You live here?"

"Well, I will do as of tomorrow. Tell me! Is all this Italian shit worth the outrageously expensive price tag they attached to this place?" He looked at me expectantly.

"Italian shit?!" I spluttered, completely insulted and he laughed, making me want to slap his ignorant arse. "You shouldn't have brought the place if you don't like the shit that's in it!" I fired at him, completely outraged.

"I can get rid of the shit!" He quipped and my eyebrows shoot up in a you-didn't-just-say-that expression. 

I had spent months breaking my back sourcing all of the Italian shit and the unappreciative swine just wanted to get rid of it. I had never been so insulted or pissed off.

I tried to wriggle my hands from under his but he tightened his grip and I shot him a scowl, making him grin.

"Unravel your panties, young boy. I wouldn't get rid of anything in this apartment." He kissed me hard. "And you're in this apartment." He took my mouth again, possessively, greedily.

I attacked him with equal force, thrusting my tongue into his mouth, circling his with mine as he lifted his grip from my hands. They impulsively flew to those taut, rippling shoulders that I loved so much.

Wrapping his arm around my middle, he released my lips and lifted me up from the counter, leaving me hovering above the surface as his other hand found my panties and yanked them down my legs. He rested me back down, removing my shoes and letting them tumble to the tiled floor on a loud clatter. I joined him in his stripping party, reaching up and pushing his shirt down his broad shoulders, revealing his bare chest in all of its glory.

He was complete perfection and I just wanted to lick every square inch of him.

As I traced my eyes down, I recoiled slightly at a nasty scar running across his stomach and rounding onto his left hip that I never noticed before. The light at The Manor was dim but that was one hefty scar and it was slightly faded but bloody big. I wanted to ask how did he get that but I decided that it was not enquired, it could be a sensitive issue and I didn't want anything to upset the moment.

I could just sit there and gawp at him forever, even with the scar that looked so sinister, he was still beautiful.

I scrunched his shirt up between my hands and chucked it to where my jeans were and he rose his eyebrows at me.

"I'll buy you a new one." I shrugged and he smirked, leaning forward to brace himself on the counter and capturing my lips, all brooding and careful. I reached for his trousers and began unfastening his belt, whipping it out of his loopholes in one swift pull, instigating a snapping sound to erupt around us. He pulled back on an arched brow.

"Are you going to whip me?"

"No..." I answered uncertainly, wondering if he liked that kind of stuff.  I threw his belt to join the pile on the floor and I slid my hand between his tight narrow hips and the waistband of his trousers. I wrenched him forward so we were nose to nose. "Of course, if you want me to..."

"I'll bear that in mind." He said on a half-smile

Keeping my eyes firmly on his, I started to undo the button on his trousers, my knuckles brushing over his solid erection, causing him to jerk and he squeezed his eyes shut. I slowly undid his fly, sliding my flat hand into his boxers, grazing across the mass of dark hair. He shuddered, looking up to the ceiling and I noticed the muscles on his chest rolling and undulating. I couldn't resist leaning forward to flick my tongue up the center of his chest bone.

"Harry, you should know that once I've had you, you're mine." He explained and I realized I was too drunk on lust to take any notice of that statement.

"Hmhm..." I mumbled against his skin, circling his nipple with my tongue and withdrawing my hand from his boxers. I grasped the waistband and eased them down over his tidy, narrow hips, making his cock spring free.

_It's huge. Oh my._

The head was swollen, moist and pointing right at me. The involuntary gasp that escaped my mouth was an indication of my shock and flicking my eyes to his, I found a small smile tickling the corner of his mouth, which was all the mortifying evidence I needed to tell me that he was picked up on my reaction.

He stepped back, kicking his shoes and socks off before removing his trousers and boxers. I was instantly drawn to his powerfully lean thigh, dribbling at the magnificence stood before me in all of its naked glory. I couldn't help it.

Gathering some of my shattered confidence, I reached forward slowly and gently circled my thumb over his tip, watching him as he watched my hand explore him. When I tentatively wrapped my hand around the base, seeing his struggle with the contact.

"Shit, Harry." He gasped, resting his hands on my hips. I jerked, and he smiled. "Ticklish?"

"Just there..." I gasped.

"I'll remember that..." He said, taking my lips and working my mouth urgently as I began slow strokes of his hardness, increasing the pace when I felt his mouth getting firmer against mine. His hand disappeared between my legs and with one skim of his thumb over my beating hole, I was suddenly catapulted to Central Louis Cloud Nine. I gasped into his mouth and he bit my lip. "You ready?" He asked urgently.

"Yes..." I nodded.

He ripped his hand from under me and knocked me away from his throbbing arousal. In one measured movement, he moved his hands to my backside, lifting me and slid half his length inside me.

_Oh my God and fucking hell!_

"Okay?" He panted. "Are you okay?"

"Two seconds. I need a few seconds." I wrapped my legs around him, crying out at the mixture of pleasure and pain, and I knew he was not even all of the way in.

I was swang around and thrust up against the wall, the coldness of the tiles not bothering me in the slightest as I tried to adjust myself to Louis' hugeness. He rested his forehead against mine, my hands slipping over his sweat-drenched back as he held still for a few moments, giving me time to adapt to the intrusion.

He panted as he slowly withdrew from me, re-entering on a deliberate, steady thrust. He was in further and the fullness was making my head spin.

"Can you take more?" He asked urgently.

I nodded as I adjusted to his size, taking some calming breaths. When I knew I had a handle on it, I kissed him slowly, arching my back and putting our chests together. I thrust myself forward, deepening the connection.

"Harry, tell me you're ready." He breathed.

"I'm ready..." I had never been more ready for anything in my life.

With my prompt, he extracted himself and drove back inside of me more forcefully. I sighed, tilting my hips forward in acceptance as he growled in appreciation and repeated his swift thrusts, again and again.

"You're mine now, Harry." He breathed on a deep, delicious plunge and my head dropped forward to rest on his. "All mine..."

In one fast move, he pulled back and slid his full length inside me, making me scream. I was full of capacity and loving every wonderful bit of it. I gripped his shoulders as he increased his thrusts, slamming into me, hitting my prostate every time. I yelped in pleasure when he found my lips, plunging his tongue into my mouth in a desperate claim as our damp, sweat riddled bodies clash and slid together.

I was about to splitter into a million pieces and I knew I had never come that fast for the second time.

"You're going to come?" He gasped against my mouth.

"Yes!" I shouted, sinking my teeth into his bottom lip and he moaned.

It was animalistic but I was losing control.

"Wait for me." He demanded, pounding harder and squeezing my thighs. I screamed, desperately clenching my muscles around him to try and held off but it was not working. It was after three more hard strikes that he shouted. "Now, Harry!" And I burst at his command, throwing my head back and screaming his name as I felt his hot liquid shoot into me as I came between our bodies, without even touching my cock once again.

He gripped me hard, pulling me as close as he could get me and held me there, burying his face in my exposed throat.

"Oh, fuck!" He groaned against my neck. The long, satisfied moan falling from my own lips was symbolic of how I was feeling, totally satisfied. He slowed his thrusts to ease us both down from our incredible highs and I held him tight, my inner muscles contracting around him as he lazily circled his hips. "Look at me." He ordered softly and I pulled my head down to look at him, sighing happily as he searched my eyes. He rolled his hips again and planted a kiss on the end of my nose. "Beautiful..." He said simply, cupping the back of my head and pushing me towards him so my cheek could rest on his shoulder.

I could definitely stay like that forever.

My back peeled away from the cold wall behind me and I was carried to the vanity unit with Louis still buried deep inside me, pulsating and twitching. He slipped out and settled me on the counter, clasping his palms on either side of my face and bending to kiss me, his lips lingering on mine in a total display of affection.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" He asked, his frown line appearing on his forehead.

I dissolved on the spot and I wanted to smother him in my arms, so I did. I wrapped my whole body around him, arms and legs, and clung on to him as if my life depended on it. He buried his face in my neck and stroked my back.

It was the most calming sensation I had ever felt and I couldn't even muster up the energy to feel guilty.

We remained entwined, a bundle of arms and legs, breathing heavy and holding each other for an age. I just wanted to stay exactly where I was. We could, it was his bathroom after all, although I couldn't believe he bought the penthouse.

After far too short a time, he leaned back, running the back of his knuckles down the side of my face.

"I didn't use a condom..." He said with genuine regret in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I got so carried away. You're a carrier, right?"

"Yes, I'm on birth control but the pill doesn't protect me from STDs." I was such a numb-nut. The man was a God with some serious moves and I couldn't stop myself from thinking about how many men he slept with already.

He smiled at me.

"Harry, I've always used a condom." He leaned forward, kissing my forehead. "Except with you..."

"Why?" I frowned and he pulled me to him, chewing on his bottom lip.

"I don't see straight when I'm near you." He put his boxers and trousers on and then reached over me to grab a washcloth from the shelf.

I was about to protest, but then I remembered that it was his. Everything in the bathroom was his, except for me. Well, not according to him but that was just an impending orgasm talking, the throws of passion can make you say some funny things.

_He doesn't see straight? That makes two of us._

He ran the tap, passing the cloth under it and returned to stand before me. I felt exposed, sitting there completely naked considering he already had dressed his bottom half. It wasn't equal ground. I put my hands above my cock, suddenly uncomfortable with my state of undress but he looked at me, a perplexed look flitting across his handsome face as he pouted, reaching between my legs to spread them gently, grabbing my hands.

"Better..." He muttered, lifting my arms from my lap and placing them on his shoulders. He rested the warm, damp cloth on the inside of my thigh and began sweeping it up and down, cleaning the remnants of him away from me, doing the same with my belly and chest, on a tender and extremely intimate act. I watched his face in fascination, noticing the slight crease across his forehead as he was concentrated on his procedure of cleaning me up and he gazed up at me, his blue eyes soft and twinkling. "I want to toss you in that shower and worship every inch of you, but this will have to do... For now, anyway..." He leaned in and kissed me, lingering briefly.

_I don't think I could ever get tired of those simple, affectionate kisses. His lips are so soft and his scent is divine._

"For now?"

"Don't think about it now. Come on, young man, let's get you dressed." He lifted me from the counter and helped me into my underwear and jeans before zipping it up. My entire body convulsed when he rested his lips on the nape of my neck, his warm, soft mouth having the hairs on my neck rising.

_I don't think he's out of my system, not at all. This is bad news._

I picked his pale blue shirt up from the floor and shook it out before handing it to him.

"Here."

"There really wasn't any need to screw it up, was there?" He flicked me a grin as he pulled it on, fastening the buttons and tucking it into his navy trousers.

"Your jacket will cov-" I abruptly remembered tossing that on the floor in the bedroom. "Oh..." I whispered, all wide-eyed.

"Yes. Oh!" He arched a brow as he snapped his belt, making me flinch and making him grin. "Okay, you ready to face the music, young boy?" He held his hand out to me, and I took it without a thought as the man was a magnet. "I'd say quite loud, wouldn't you?"

I gaped at him as he gave me a full on dazzling smile. I shook my head, quickly glancing in the mirror, finding myself flushed. My lips distended and pink, my hair still down but with random strands curling up all over the place, and I was ceased.

"I need five minutes to sort myself out..." I whispered.

"You're perfect..." He reassured me as if sensing the panic rising in me.

_Perfect? Perfect wouldn't be a word I would use. I look thoroughly fucked._

He tugged me to the door, unlocked it and strode out, devoid of wariness, while I was more cautious.

_What if our visitors were still hanging around?_

I saw his jacket still sprawled on the floor and he scooped it up as we passed, grabbing my shirt as well and helping me dress it, doing the same with my jacket.

When we hit the curving staircase, I suddenly registered that my hand was still in his so I tried to ease it from his grasp but he squeezed it tighter, flashing me a scowl.

 _Shit!_   _He has to let go._   _My boss and colleagues are down there. I can't go prancing through them holding hands with this strange man._   _Well, he's not very strange to me but that was beside the point._

I attempted to free my hand again, but he refused to let it go.

"Louis, let go of my hand..."

"No." He shot back, short and firm, without even looking at me.

I stopped, abruptly, halfway down the stairs and scanned the room below. No one was looking at us, thank God, but it wouldn't be long before someone clocked us. Louis turned, looking up at me from a few steps below.

"Louis, you can't expect me to parade through here holding your hand. That's not fair. Please, let me go..." I explained and he looked at our hands locked together, suspended between our bodies.

"I'm not letting you go..." He murmured sullenly. "If I let you go, you might forget how it feels. You might change your mind."

There was absolutely no chance of me forgetting how we felt flesh on flesh but that was not the part of his statement that was bothering me.

"Change my mind about what?" I asked, totally perplexed.

"Me."


	10. ღ X.

My mind hasn't been made up on anything, so there was nothing to change. I needed to focus my attention on persuading him to release my hand before someone could spot us. I would file that comment just like I had filed the other strange comments he made upstairs.

I nearly fell down the stairs when I saw Hannah breezing across the terrace as reality crashing down around me. Surely when he would see Hannah, he would stop being such an unreasonable fool. Hannah was heading back inside and I didn't have time to fuck about.

I narrowed my eyes at Louis and used brute force to yank my hand from his, nearly dislocating my shoulder in the process, but it worked. He scowled at me but I didn't hang around long enough to take much notice. I took the stairs fast, down to the vast openness of the penthouse.

Even if Hannah spotted us together, she would be suspect. The woman made it obvious that she disliked me but I could hardly blame her. Hannah saw me as a threat and as it turned out, her fear was warranted.

I hit the bottom of the stairs and saw Tom coming running through the crowd of people, waving his arms about frantically.

"There you are! Where have you been?! Patrick has been looking for you everywhere!" He clasped my shoulders, checking me up and down, always the drama queen. Noting my disheveled state, he eyed me suspiciously and I felt the heat rise in my cheeks.

"I was giving Mister Tomlinson a tour..." I offered, rather unconvincingly, while waving my hand over my shoulder in the general direction of Louis. I knew he was close behind me, I could still feel him brooding and I could smell him too.

_Mind you, that could be his scent all over me. I feel like I've been marked or claimed, even._

With his hands still clasped on my shoulders, Tom looked past me. He gasped, yanking me closer, so his mouth was at my ear.

"Darling, who is that divine being growling at me?" He asked, sniffing me.

I struggled out of his hands and turned to see Louis drilling holes into Tom. I rolled my eyes at his pathetic behavior. Tom couldn't possibly be threatened by him. Not that he should be feeling threatened by anyone.

"Tom, this is Mister Tomlinson. Mister Tomlinson, Tom. He's a colleague." I added the last a bit sarcastically.

I looked at Tom, who was grinning widely, then cast my eyes over to Louis, who stopped growling but didn't look any less pissed. Tom pranced forward, grabbing Louis' shoulders and air kissed him. I stifled a laugh, watching as Louis' eyes bulged and his shoulder tensed.

"It really is a pleasure!" Tom sang in Louis' face while stroking down his biceps. "Tell me, do you work out?"

A burst of laughter fell from my mouth and, rather immaturely, I decided to leave Louis to cope with Tom's outrageous flirting on his own. I caught his eyes as I turned to leave, seeing I was being thrown daggers but I couldn't care less. He was being stupidly unreasonable.

I found Patrick in the kitchen, chatting with the developer and he waved me over, handing me a glass of champagne.

_It looks like the car will be staying here tonight._

"Here he is!" Patrick announced, draping his arm around my shoulder and hugging me against his big body. "This young boy has transformed my company. I'm so proud of you, flower! Where have you been?" He asked, his blue eyes twinkling brightly and his cheeks bright red, a clear sign that he had too much to drink.

"I've been giving a few tours." I lied, smiling sweetly as I was squeezed against him.

"I've just been talking about you. Your ears must have been burning!" Patrick said.  _No, not my ears._  "I was just saying to Mister Van Der Haus, you'll be more than happy to assist on their new venture."

_Mister Van Der Haus? Oh, he's the other partner that I've not met yet._

"My partner insisted on it." Van Der Haus said, smiling broadly. He was very classy, all tall and white blonde, with a bespoke suit and dress shoes. 

He was quite handsome, for a mid-forties man. Another older man. I couldn't help but blush.

"I would be delighted, Mister Van Der Haus. What have you got in mind for the next project?" I asked eagerly.

"Please, call me Mikael." He broadened his smile. "The building is nearly complete! We have settled on traditional Scandinavian. We're going back to our roots." His mild Danish accent was really sexy.

_Traditional Scandinavian? Okay, this most definitely panics me. Does this mean I'll be hijacking Ikea? Shouldn't they employ someone Scandinavian for this?_

"It sounds exciting!" I said, turning to place my glass on the worktop, spotting Louis across the room with Hannah as I did.

He was drilling holes into me and Hannah was standing right bloody there. I swiveled back to face my audience, the panic probably clear on my burning face.

"I think so!" Mikael agreed. "Once I've discussed a favorable fee with Patrick..." He pointed his champagne glass at my boss. "We can start building a specification, then you can get started on some designs."

"I look forward to it..." I shifted on the spot, still feeling Louis' eyes burning into my back.

"He won't disappoint you, Mikael." Patrick chirped and he smiled.

"I know he won't. You're an exceptionally talented young man, Harry, your vision is impeccable. Now, if you'll excuse me..." I felt the color deepening in my face as he shook Patrick's hand and then mine. "I will be in touch." He said, holding my hand in his, a little longer than necessary, before releasing it, strolling off and greeting an Arab man.

I was still tucked tightly under Patrick's arm as Victoria approached us and leaned against the worktop on a huff.

"My feet are killing me!" She exclaimed.

In unison, Patrick and I looked down at her six-inch leopard print platforms with blood red piping. They were ridiculous.

Patrick looked at me, shaking his head, before releasing his hold and declaring his departure.

"Irene will be waiting for me downstairs. I've got all the photographs!" He waved his camera at me. "I'll see you on Monday morning." He kissed each of us. "You've both worked hard tonight. Well done." He took his big body out of the kitchen, staggering slightly as he did.

"Oh, I nearly forgot!" Victoria dragged my eyes away from Patrick's swaying body, back to her. "Niall said he couldn't wait around for you anymore, something about ice cream." She shrugged. "He said that he hopes you've had fun and he will see you at home."

_Hopes I've had fun? Sardonic bitch!_

"Thanks, Victoria. Listen, I think we're done here!" I picked up one more glass of champagne as the waiter passed. I couldn't drive, so I should as well make the most of it and damn, I needed it. "I'm heading home. Go when you're ready. I'll see you on Monday." I kissed her cheek.

"I'm going to hang around for a bit with Tom. He wants to go to Route Sixty for a dance." She shook her bum.

"Be prepared for a late one!" I warned. 

Once Tom was on the dance floor you needed a bulldozer to get him off.

"No! I told him, I can't stay late, I've got too much to do tomorrow. And I can hardly walk in these stupid shoes."

"Good luck with that. Say bye to Tom for me."

"I will when I find him!" She limped off in her ridiculous heels, leaving me to finish my last glass of champagne.

I glanced for Hannah around the kitchen, but I didn't see her or Louis and I was relieved.  I didn't think I could look Hannah in the eye, I needed to go and kick my loser arse around the house for being so weak and easy.

I reached the penthouse elevator and punched in the code. It would be changed the next day to the new owner and that made me huff a little burst of laughter. Of course, Louis Tomlinson was the new owner. It was one hell of a day and being alone, I could feel the foreseeable guilt beginning to tumble over me.

I was really a foolish and desperate man.

"Leaving so soon?"

My shoulders rose and I winced at the cold unfriendly voice of Hannah. Straightening my expression, I turned to face her.

"It's been a long and tiring day..." I offered, inwardly cringing at my own double meaning statement. If only she knew how long and tiring.

He sipped his champagne while eyeing me suspiciously.

"You're quite a surprise." She purred.

_She seemed genuine. Is that a compliment? Oh God, don't be nice to me. I've just screwed your boyfriend in his new bathroom and now you're being nice? Or is it their bathroom? Oh heck! I want to crawl inside myself and die._ _I'm deplorable, I really don't know what to say._

"Thank you..." I uttered, turning back to the elevator when it opened, just needing to get out of that place.

"It wasn't a compliment." She said categorically.

"I didn't think it was." I retorted, without looking at her.

Obviously, I was mistaken.

"You know Louis owns this place, right?" Hannah asked and I wanted to ask her if she would be living there too, but, of course, I didn't.

"He mentioned it..." I said casually, stepping into the lift and punching the code in. "It was nice to see you." I smiled and I didn't know why I said that as it wasn't nice at all. I still didn't like her and she made it perfectly clear how she felt about me. Although I couldn't blame her.

The doors closed and I fell back against the mirrored wall.

_Shit! What happened to the simple, single life for me? I'm such a fuck up._

After collecting my things from the changing rooms of the spa, I dumped them in my car and wandered down to the docks, sitting on a bench.

The hustle and bustle of the docks were in full swing as people entered and left, all looking happy and content. The flowers in bloom on the elaborate lampposts, spilling over the baskets and cascading down the ornate iron, and the lights from the building all flickering and glowing across the docks, dancing off of the rippling waves.

I sighed and closed my eyes, listening to the sound of the water lightly lapping at the sides of the boats. It was rhythmic and relaxing, but I didn't think anything would make me feel better at the moment. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket to call Niall. After letting it ring off, I left a message.

"Hey, it's me..." I knew I sounded forlorn, but I couldn't feign chirpiness when I really didn't feel it. I groaned. "Oh, Niall... I've made a monumental fuck up. I'll be home soon..." I dropped my hand to the bench and resolved to the fact that I was pretty damn stupid.

My phone jumped to life in my hand and I connected the call without looking at the display, assuming it was Niall.

"Hey..."

 **"Where are you?"**  He spoke softly down the phone.

I didn't know whether my heart sank because it was not Niall, or just because it was Louis. My life was resuming rather well, man-free and commitment-free, and then that was going to play on my conscience.

I was a firm believer in Karma, in which case, I was in big trouble.

"I'm at home." I lied again since it was coming naturally those days. I was twiddling my hair, a sure sign of my Pinocchio behavior.

 **"Okay..."** He whispered and hung up.

_Oh? Well, that was easier than I contemplated._

After I didn't comply with hand holding orders and abandoned him with the gayest of the gay mauling him, I had expected pissed off.

So, he got what he wanted and that was it. I was not sure why I felt so neglected with that thought. It was what I had expected and it was no less than I actually deserved. His persistence had worn me down but it was out of my system. I could get back to me and my life and, if I was lucky, Hannah wouldn't ever find out about the mild indiscretion.

Nevertheless, Louis could continue with his serial seductions and move on to the next lucky man, for all I cared. I was sure Hannah would find out soon enough, just not at that moment. A woman scorning and after my blood was the last thing I needed.

After sitting and musing for a while, I reluctantly got up to go and hail a cab. There was only so long you can sit feeling sorry for yourself. I needed to put that night behind me fast. I needed to forget about it, eradicate it from my memory and put it down to experience. He was hazardous, I knew it.

As I turned and looked up, I saw Louis standing a few feet away, quietly watching me.

_How the hell am I going to achieve any of my objectives if he stalks me? Where's Hannah?_

We faced each other, still and silent, his face impassive as he studied me and then I burst into tears. I didn't know why but I put my face in my hands and I sobbed. God only knew what he could be thinking. But then I felt his warm body swathing me and my head resting in the crevasse of his neck, my arms, on reflex, reaching under his to cling onto him. We said nothing for a long time, just standing there in each other's arms, silent while he massaged the back of my head with the palm of his hand, keeping me tucked tightly against his body.

There was only a small part of me wondering where Hannah was, but I didn't dwell on it. I felt sheltered and safe on his arms and I was only mildly alert to the fact that I should be running away from his arms, not into them.

_I should be treating them with caution, not accepting the comfort they're giving me. Why can't I run?_

"How long have you been standing here?" I asked when my sobs have finally abated.

"Long enough..." He murmured. "What's all this about a monumental fuck up?" He squeezed me tighter. "I hope to God you weren't referring to me..."

"I was..." I didn't beat around the bush, it would be pointless.

"You were?" He sounded surprised and a little pissed, but then a few moments later he followed it up with. "Will you come home with me?" I felt him tense slightly.

_I've just told him that he's my monumental fuck up and he wants to take me home? What about Hannah? They obviously don't live together then._

"No..." I answered.

What I did was already bad enough.

"Please, Harry..."

"Why?" I asked.

I needed to know what his fascination was with me because if I spent any more time with that man, I would be in even more trouble. I couldn't be getting caught up in sordid affairs with older, unavailable men. Although, exactly how old was still to be determined. There was something about the man and it was screaming bad news.

He pulled back to look down at me, his beautiful brow furrowed.

"It feels right... You belong with me..." He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"So, who does Hannah belong with?"

"Hannah? What's she got to do with anything?" He looked at me really confused.

"Girlfriend..." I reminded him and his eyes bulged.

_He really has no regard for the poor woman._

"Oh, please don't tell me you've been ignoring my calls and running away because you thought..." He released me. "You thought me and Hannah were..." He stepped back. "Oh, fucking hell, no!"

"Yes!" I exclaimed. "She's not?"

_Oh, now I'm really confused. The woman couldn't have made his claim any clearer if she'd have pissed all over Louis. Who the hell is she then? Oh, I really don't like her now._

"Harry, what made you think that?"

"Oh, let me see!" I smiled sweetly. "Maybe it was the kiss in the hallway of The Manor. Or when she came looking for you in the bedroom. Or it could be her frosty reception to me." I drew a breath. "Or, perhaps, it's the fact that she's with you every time I see you." I couldn't believe it. I had been beating myself up about it and over a woman that I really didn't like, it was a waste of conscience. "Who is she?" I asked, completely riled and he held my hands, leaning down so his eyes were level with mine.

"Harry, she's a little friendly..."

"Friendly?!" I scoffed. "That woman is not friendly!"

"She's a friend..." He said soothingly, but I didn't want soothing. I wanted to pop some pouty red lips because Hannah knew exactly what she was doing. She, clearly, wanted to be more than friends. He brushed his palm down my cheek. "Now we've clarified Hannah's position in my life, can we talk about yours?"

"What do you mean?" His previous comments suddenly embed themselves into my mind. All of the 'you're mine', 'I'll keep you' and 'you'll change your mind'. He smirked.

"I mean in my bed and under me." He yanked me into his chest and I resumed my nuzzle, sagging with relief.

That sounded good to me. I added a steaming hot affair with an older man to my bucket list, just so I could tick it off. No commitment, no tying down. It suited me fine. Although, I doubted I would get either of the aforementioned from that man.

"At The Manor?" I asked since it was quite a drive.

"No, I have an apartment behind me but I can't move in until tomorrow so I'm renting a place at Hyde Park. You'll come."

"Yes." I didn't hesitate even aware that it wasn't a question.

I was also mindful of his previous comments, especially his last one, 'You belong with me'.

_Is that his decision, or mine?_

He sighed, applying more pressure to my head and back.

_Proceed with extreme caution, Harry._

We traveled in silence, except for the low tones of Massive Attack's Teardrops filtering out of his car sound system. Very fitting after my sobbing fit.

I spent most of the journey deliberating on my decision to go home with Louis while he repeatedly drew breaths as if intending to say something but instead deciding against it.

He pulled his Aston Martin into a gated car park, and I let myself out. Popping his boot and grabbing my bags, he took my hand and led me into the building.

"I'm on the first floor. We'll take the stairs, it's quicker." He guided me through a grey fire door, into the stairwell and up a flight of stairs.

We exited into a narrow corridor that looked like a specialist hospital facility. Louis unlocked the only other door in the long expanse of white and grey, ushering me in, and I immediately was standing in a large open plan area, white from top to bottom, with black furniture and a black kitchen, monochrome to the absolute maximum, a real guy's pad. It looked empty, cold and clinical, making me hate it.

"It's a pit stop, I bet you're really offended." His eyes glowed and he smiled, no doubt at my critical face.

"I prefer your new place..."

"Me too!"

I wandered further into the apartment, scrutinizing the lack of warmth and coziness. I wondered how he could live there. There were no personal touches, no paintings or photographs. I noticed a snowboard propped up in the corner with various skiing equipment piled around it. On the sideboard, where I would expect to see vases or ornaments, there was a motorcycle helmet and some leather gloves which was a surprise.

"I don't keep alcohol. Do you want some water?" He strolled over to the huge, black fridge and pulled it open.

"Please..."

I joined him in the kitchen area, pulling out a black bar stool from under the black granite worktop of the island. Louis removed his suit jacket and perched on the adjacent stool, turning to face me and handed me a glass with water in it before he unscrewed the cap of a bottle for himself. His long, muscled legs were straining against his trousers, his feet flat on the floor, but his legs considerably bent, considering the height of the stool while my feet were propped on the footrest. He siped his water, looking at me over the bottle while I fiddled with my glass.

I felt incredibly uncomfortable and I was starting to think it was better if I hadn't gone to that place. Things became awkward and I was not exactly sure why. There was one reason and one reason alone why he had brought me there and like the idiot that I was, I went along with it.

I heard him sigh before he placed his bottle down. He took my glass from my hand and put it on the island worktop. Grasping the seat of my stool, he dragged it closer to his, turning it for me to face him and he rested his palms on my knees before he leaned in.

"Why did you cry?" He asked.

"I don't know..." I answered honestly. The whole episode caught me off guard, being honest, there was no reason for me to be blubbering all over him and that made me feel pretty stupid.

"Yes, you do. Tell me."

I considered what I should say while his eyes probed mine, waiting for me to answer. The light crease appeared across his brow and I realized that it was a concentration slash concern frown.

_What should I tell him? That I've just came out of a four-year relationship with a bloke who persistently cheated on me? That over the last four weeks, since calling it a day, I've re-established my identity and I don't want a man to rob it again? That my trust in men is zero and the fact that he is, quite clearly, a prince of seduction spells trouble for me? Oh, and finally, I know deep down that this could all end very messily for me not him._

But he wouldn't want to hear any of that nonsense so I repeated myself instead.

"I don't know..."

He sighed, his frown morphing into a scowl as he tapped his fingers on the granite a few times. I could, quite literally, see the cogs of his mind grinding as he looked at me, chewing his bottom lip.

"Would I be right in saying that your misinterpretation of mine and Hannah's relationship wasn't the only reason you were avoiding me?" He asked but it was more like a statement than a question. He unclasped his Rolex and slid it onto the worktop.

"Probably..." I looked away from him, a little ashamed and I didn't know why.

_How does he know that, anyway?_

"That's disappointing." He stated conclusively but I couldn't hear the disappointment in his voice. All I heard was the annoyance. I didn't need to tell him that I could, very possibly, fall hard for him. Men had to fall hard for him on a daily basis.

I recoiled slightly when he grabbed my jaw and tugged my face back to his, the hollow at his cheekbones confirming my thoughts. He was gritting his teeth.

_He's angry? What did he bloody expect? For me to drop to my knees and kiss his feet?_

He was obviously used to it. It was just sex to him. We both needed to get each other out our systems and there was an opportunity to do just that so we took the opportunity, that was all. The problem was that he was not out of my system and I didn't think he would be any time soon either, if ever. He was already under my skin.

"What did you want me to say?" I asked.

He released my jaw, letting out a frustrated sigh, and before I knew what hit me, he grabbed me and tossed me onto the worktop, sending my glass of water crashing to the tiled floor, the glass shattering loudly around us. My legs were spread with his thighs, and he attacked my mouth with his inexorable tongue, plunging deep and meaningfully.

I was slightly taken back by his impulsive assault but I was powerless to stop him, in physical and in mental strength. I was instantly plagued by blazing goosebumps and hot wetness at my core, as he thrust his hips hard while consuming my mouth. He cupped my bum, pulling me closer, keeping his groin tight against mine.

I groaned as his hips rolled, unashamed for him to know that I was turned on like a thousand watt light bulb. Releasing my lips, he stared at me, breathing hard with brazen hunger shining from his blue pools and I wascertain my eyes were matching his.

"Let's establish some things here..." He panted through short breaths before pulling me off of the worktop so I was straddling his waist while he stared at me. "You're a shit liar."

"Yes, that I know..."

_My Mum and Dad tell me all the time. I twiddle my hair when I lie but it's involuntary, I can't help it. What else are we establishing because I'm burning up on pleasure here?_

He leaned in and kissed my lips, softly stroking my tongue with his.

"You're mine now, Harry..." He rolled his hips, causing me to shift upwards and tense to relieve myself of the relentless buzzing at my core. We were face to face. "I'm keeping you forever..." He informed me with a thrust of his hips.

I closed my arms around his shoulders and kissed him on his lush, moist lips, my way of agreeing.

"Okay..." I whispered against his lips.

I was desperate for him, all over again, and I knew I was in so much trouble.

"I'm going to possess every. Single. Part. Of. You" He punctuated each word clearly and sharply. "There will be nowhere on this beautiful body that won't have had me in it, on it, or over it." His voice was carnal and deadly serious, which only served to increase my heart rate a little more.

"Every single bit?" I teased and he smirked.

_Should I look further into that?_

I didn't get a chance to since I was lowered to my feet and spun around before he yanked my shirt, soon my shoes and jeans were away from my body as well.

Leaning down, he kissed the nape of my exposed neck, blowing his cool, minty breath across it, instigating a delightful shiver from the mixture of heat from his tongue and the coolness of his breath. I felt like I was buzzing all over. I flexed my neck, rolling my shoulder blades to alleviate the tingles that were riddling my entire body. He moved his mouth to my ear.

"Face me." I did as I was told, turning back around to look at him, finding an expression of pure determination as he lifted me back onto the island. I rested my hands on his shoulders, but he grasped them and I reluctantly let him guide them down to the worktop so I was gripping the edge. "The hands stay here." He said firmly as he released them, backing up his demand with that confident tone. He hooked his fingers in the top of my panties and tugged at them. "Lift."

I pushed my weight onto my arms, lifting my backside off of the worktop so he could draw the panties down my legs, lowering myself back down when I was free from the constraints of my underwear. I was stark naked and he was still fully dressed, not looking like he had any intention of removing his clothes anytime. I wanted to see that chest so I moved my hands from the edge of the counter to the hem of his shirt but he stepped back, shaking his head slowly.

"Hands." I pouted, returning my hands to the worktop edge. I wanted to see him, feel him, it was not fair. He positioned his hands on his top button. "You want me to remove my shirt?" His low, husky voice was playing havoc with my discipline.

"Yes..." I breathed.

"Yes, what?" He smirked at me and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Please..." I grated, in a long drawn out breath, well aware that he was getting a thrill from making me beg.

He smiled as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt, keeping his eyes fixed firmly on me. It took every bit of effort not to reach forward and yank it open.

_Why is he making such a meal of this? He knows what he's doing. He's making me wait and it's torturous._

When he finally got to the last button, he rolled his shoulders, pulling his shirt off. For the briefest moment, when both arms were flexed back, his muscles bulged and rippled with his movement and I thought I was going to pass out.

He kicked his tan Grensons off and removed his socks. His top half was naked and he only had his trousers and boxers covering his bottom half. I ran my eyes over his perfect physique, my mouth watering until I saw that vicious scar on his abdomen. My eyes paused on it momentarily but he positioned himself back between my legs, snapping me from my curiosity. I fought the urge to grab him, the pressure on my core had me shifting on the counter to ease the immense spasms searing through me and I knew he wasn't unaffected himself. His huge erection was straining against the front of his trousers, pressing hard into my thigh.

He rested his hands so they spun the top of my legs, his thumbs on my inside thigh slowly circling, millimeters from my aching core. I was raw with pure lust, my rapid breathing becoming increasingly difficult to regulate. He squeezed my thighs.

"Where to start?" He mused, lifting one hand and he ran his thumb across my bottom lip. "Here?" He asked and my lips parted. He watched me as he slid his thumb into my mouth and I circled it with my tongue, his lips lifting at the corners in a diminutive smile. He withdrew his thumb, running it across my cheek, then, very slowly, he stroked his flat palm down my neck and onto my pumping chest before grabbing my nipple possessively. "Or here?" His husky voice was betraying his calm façade as he rose a questioning eyebrow at me, circling my nipple with his thumb and I gasped.

If he was expecting me to talk, then he could forget it. Speech totally eluded me, being replaced with short, sharp breaths.

"These are mine." He gently rubbed my nipple for a few moments before recommencing his way down with his hand down my sensitive skin. He spent a few seconds making big circles on my stomach before he continued downwards. As the heat of his hand reached the inside of my thigh, I forced myself to breathe. I was struggling and feeling dizzy with lust. Just when I thought he was going to claim me with his fingers, he swiftly changed the direction, running his hand around my hip, causing me to jerk as he cupped my butt. "Or here?" He was completely serious while I went rigid. "Every single inch, Harry..." He breathed. Holding my breath and feeling my lungs burning, he smiled a little, his hand starting to drift back around to my front, grabbing the base of my cock. "I think I'll start here."

I released my breath in a thankful rush, relief swamping my entire being and he tapped his finger under my chin so I was forced to look up into his sludgy eyes.

"But I did mean every inch..." He affirmed coolly, before placing his hand on the worktop beside my thigh, his other hand still palming my cock slowly.

I felt Louis' finger run up the center of my buttcheeks, generating flashes of pleasure that jet off in a million different directions around my body. I slumped forward, resting my forehead on his shoulder as my upper body rolled up and down in time to my thumping heartbeat.

"You're drenched..." He rumbled low in my ear as he plunged a finger into me and I immediately tightened my muscles around it. "You. Want. Me." He stated firmly, withdrawing and he collected a bit of my released moist before spreading it over my hole as he surged forward again with two fingers, making me cry out. "Tell me you want me, Harry."

"I want you..." I panted against his shoulder.


	11. ღ XI.

I heard a groan of satisfaction.

"Tell me you need me..." I would tell him anything he wanted to hear at that point, absolutely anything.

"I need you."

"You'll always need me, Harry, I'm going to make sure of it. Now, let's see if we can fuck some sense into you."

He withdrew his fingers from me and pulled me down from the worktop, turning me slowly in his arms and my hands found the flat surface of the granite.

I was not happy with the new position, I couldn't see him.

"I want to see you..." I moaned although I didn't fancy my chances because he seemed like the dominant type.

I felt his body closing in on me, the heat pouring out of him and into me. When the firmness of his chest pressed up against my back, I leaned on him, the back of my head resting on his shoulder. He turned his mouth into my ear.

"Shut up and soak up the pleasure." He pushed his hips into the small of my back and slowly ground into me as he reached forward, placing his hands on my wrists. "No talking unless I tell you. You got that?" I nodded.

Definitely, a man who liked to be in control.

He began a slow, languid jaunt, up my arms with his talented fingers, leaving my skin prickling in their wake, spreading fire through my veins. My nipples ached for his touch as he reached the tops of my arms and moved onto my shoulders. I clamped my lips together but a moan escaped. I couldn't help it, not when he was making me feel like that.

His hands spun my shoulders entirely and he began circling his thumbs into the base of my neck, working out the stiffness that was looming there. My body just relaxed and my mind serened. The feeling was out of this world.

Lowering his mouth to my neck, he brushed his lips over my skin before kissing me gently.

"Your skin is addictive..."

"Hmmm..." I purred and he laughed softly.

"This good?" He asked, trailing feather soft kisses up and down my jaw. I turned my face in towards him, meeting him square in the eye and I nodded again.

He soaked up my gaze for a few seconds, his expression contented before he planted a soft kiss on my lips and let his hands work their way down to my hips. I clenched my eyes shut, trying my hardest not to jolt forward.

"Keep your hands where they are." He ordered firmly, releasing his hold on me. "Don't move..."

His body moved away from mine and I heard his steps around the floor while I tried hard not to look at what he was doing. I heard the sound of his trousers being removed before his hand was back on my hips. He stepped back from me, slowly taking my hips with him. My pulse accelerated and I shifted my grip on the worktop to support myself in my braced position. I flinched when his hand cupped the base of my neck, feeling his erection nudging at my hole. In an attempt to stabilize my breathing, I drew a long breath, trying to relax as I lingered on the brink of penetration. 

He leaned forward, his warm wet tongue connecting with my back, licking a straight line up the center of my spine, finishing with a soft kiss on the base of my neck.

"Are you ready, Harry?" He asked against my skin. "I'm going to stretch your little hole before I fuck you." He added, the vibration of his lips sending tremors of pleasure straight to my core. "You can answer..."

"Yeah, okay..."

After a few seconds, nothing happened and when I was about to ask what he was going to do, I felt something huge against my hole. But not his dick, something a lot larger.

A dildo.

"You can do this, Harry." He slid his fingers down between my thighs and to the tip of my dick, collecting the moisture and slowly dragging it back, up to my bum. "Relax, we'll take it slow..."

He circled my opening slowly, every muscle in my backside clenching and he tried to penetrate the tip of the dildo but I automatically rejected the invasion.

"Harry, relax!" He stressed the words.

"I'm fucking trying!" I grated. "Give me time, damn it!" He could fuck right off if he thought that I was keeping quiet. I heard him laugh softly as he took his fingers back to my cock, rubbing his thumb all over my length, causing spikes of pleasure to bolt through me.

"Watch your mouth..." He warned and I focused on taking deep, controlled breaths.

"Don't you need lubricant or something?" I panted.

"We already fucked today, you don't need it. That's enough. You're not very good under instruction, are you?" He penetrated my hole with the tip and I sank my teeth into my lip. "Relax, young man..."

"Oh God, I never was opened that large, this is going to hurt, isn't it?"

"Yes, at first. You have to relax. It's for a few minutes and then I'll get in."

He continued the penetration slowly as I dropped my head, panting and sweating with nerves. I felt his hand wrap around the nape of my neck and gently massaged at my tense muscles. As I gave myself a mental pep talk about relaxing, his hand left my neck and landed my backside. He passed his thumb on the opening next to the plug before putting it all the way to my prostate.

Then he advanced, the immense pressure on my opening causing me to impulsively jolt forward. His hand came up to rest on my shoulder, holding me in place, his other continuing to guide the dildo into me.

I was physically shaking as the pressure started to build and build.

"We're nearly there..." His voice was jagged and strained, his wet palm on my shoulder as his fingers flexed. Then he surged forward on a strangled growl, breaching my muscles and sliding the plug deeper.

"Shit!" I cried, feeling every inside muscle being impossible stretched.

"Oh God, you're so tight!" He choked. "Stop fighting, Harry, relax!"

I panted as I was thrown into a place between pleasure and agony. The fullness I felt was indescribable, the pain great, but the pleasure was beyond description and completely unanticipated. The tightness of my muscles around the object had me feeling every pulsing vein and rolling ripple. My body released a little of the tension that it built up and in its place pure pleasure attacked me.

"Jesus, you have no idea how good this vision is. I'm going to move it now, okay?"

I nodded, inhaling a deep breath and firmed up my grip on the worktop. His hand left my shoulder and trailed down my back to join his other on my hips but I didn't jerk or jolt when he gripped me as I was too busy preparing myself for what was about to come.

"Real slow, Harry..." He moaned, slowly pulling the dildo out of me.

"Jesus, Louis!"

_If he tells me to shut up, I'll get really angry._

"I know." He started working the object in and out in slow measured strokes for a while.

I never imagined that. I never thought it would feel anything but smutty and wrong but it didn't.

"Are you ready for me, Harry?" He asked again and I just nodded, not even trusting my own voice anymore.

I felt the large dildo getting out, slowly, from my hole, while my muscles started to hurt even more since there was nothing there stretching them anymore. I felt his hand brush against my bum as he positioned himself, then, very slowly, he slid himself in. His breathing labored and I just wanted to scream in pleasure, but I was not sure that it was allowed.

_Oh, this is good. What will he do if I disobey him, anyway? My loss will be his loss too._

He repositioned his hand back on my hip and stilled. My grip tightened on the counter until my knuckles were bloodless and I found myself pushing back against him, taking him deep.

"Fuck, Harry, you turn me inside out..." He groaned, his hand tightening around my neck, holding me in place, his other leaving my hip and reaching around to cup my dick. "I can't do this slow..." He panted as he molded me. He withdrew slowly and advanced, hard and fast, in one swift lash, jolting me forward.

"Louis!" I cried.

There was not a chance in Hell I was going to be quiet if he continued with that. My God, the man was powerful.

He withdrew slowly.

"Quiet, Harry..." He grated and struck again, knocking my breath right out of my lungs.

I adjusted my grip, even if it was hard when my hands were sweaty, causing them to slide on the granite. I rode myself of the flex in my arms to prevent him from shoving me forward again, just about managing to stabilize myself in time for his assault. He hammered back into me tirelessly, leaving no recovering space between hard, relentless pounds, being unforgiving _._

Shifting his hands from my neck and dick, he took a firm hold of my hips and pulled me back to meet his every hard thrust, slamming into me to the absolute maximum, making me lose all sense of realism. Nothing else existed, except for Louis, his brutal drive and my body was craving for it.

It was dome mind-bending stuff.

My stomach coiled as I felt my impending orgasm battle all the way forward, assisted rapidly by Louis' ruthless momentum.

"You feel amazing, Harry..." He rumbled deep in his throat as he drove forward again. "I could stay here all fucking night, but I'm losing it!"

I found myself pushing back on to his level strokes, inviting him to increase his pace. I was fast on my way to a furious orgasm, staggered that I was even doing that. I needed more.

"Keep going..." I uttered the words I never thought I would.

"Yes, baby. Are you close?"

"Yes!" I cried, ramming back onto him. I heard his gasp as he moved one hand to my shoulder and the other to stroke my inside thigh. "Harder!" I screamed.

"Oh fuck, Harry!" He yelled, pounding forward, clamping onto my shoulder and cupping my dick, passing his thumb on my tip, I threw my head back.

"Almost..." I cried, feeling every inch of my body covering in sweat.

"Wait!" He shouted and I turned lightheaded, feeling his cock swell and jerk as he powered on. I was delirious with pleasure and just when I thought I would collapse, he bellowed. "Now!" And I let go.

The room started spinning and I was lost. I collapsed forward onto the bar, my arms spread above my head, taking Louis with me. He was a weight on me but I was numb from pleasure.

All I was aware of was his hard wet chest pressing me into the granite, his hot heavy breaths in my hair and his pulsating cock still buried deep inside me as he spasmed above me.

My muscles contracted on every beat I felt from him, draining every last drop of his seed as he lazily thrust the last pieces of his orgasm out of me.

"Are you okay?" He whispered in my ear as I felt like I was floating away.

"Am I allowed to speak?" I asked, almost without being able to breathe and he pushed forward and squeezed my hip bone, sending me on a little jolt across the worktop.

"Don't be smart."

"I'm well and truly fucked..." I sighed.

"Harry, please watch your mouth." He cautioned and he lifted his arms, laying them on mine, softly stroking up and down.

"I am, though."

I had never been so misused but it was incredible.

"I know but you don't have to swear, I hate you swearing..." He explained and I frowned to myself.

"I have to endure your blue language."

"My language is only blue, young man, when you make me see red."

"Okay..." I sighed. 

We laid replete for an age, regaining our breath with me pinned under his heavy body, splattered on the granite work surface. The coolness under my cheek received as a welcome sensation as I watched my hot breath skim the shiny granite, causing it to fog. I was adrift from reality and drowning in a rush of sentiment. I was depleted, physically and emotionally, and I was in even more trouble now. 

"Louis?"

"Hm?"

"How old are you?" I asked and he squeezed my arms.

"Twenty-two"

_Yeah, right. If he's twenty-two, then I'm Mother Teresa reincarnated._

I rolled my eyes at myself. After what I partook in, it was not bloody likely. I felt him pull away from me a fraction, a hollow empty feeling attacking me when he slipped out. He leaned down, kissing my back and slowly separated us, his skin peeling away from mine gradually, making me feel suddenly cold.

"Come here..." He whispered, grasping my waist and I noticed that it was not my hips.

I braced my flat palm on the granite and lifted myself with his slow persuasion. When I finally separated my body from the breakfast bar, I turned and faced him. My eyes widened when I saw he was hard again.

He lifted me onto the counter and muscled between my thighs, picking my arms up and draping them over his shoulders before resting his hands on my waist and he searched my eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked and I smiled at his handsome face.

"Yes..."

"Good." He leaned in and wrapped his arms around me tightly, inhaling in my neck. "I'm not finished with you yet." I curled my legs around his tight waist, squeezing it with my thighs.

"I noticed."

He was unendurable but it was a good job that it was casual sex because I couldn't deal with it on a full-time basis. I'd be walking dead.

Or trying to walk.

"You have this effect on me..." He told me with a shrug.

I knew it couldn't be just me but I took the compliment.

I buried my face in the side of his neck and nuzzled.

_He smells so good._

"Are you hungry?" He asked, pulling back and running his knuckles down my cheek.

I was not really, even though I hadn't had time to eat all day. I bypassed the canapés in favor of champagne, not wanting to get caught with a mouth full of food in case someone decided that they wanted a chat at Lusso.

"-ish" I shrugged.

"-ish..." He mouthed, the corner of his lips twitching and his eyes twinkled while I grinned. "You have a cheeky grin, I love it." He kissed the corner of my mouth.

"Shit!" As soon as the word fell from my mouth, I winced and he leaned back, eyes wide.

"Mouth!" He ground, his lips forming a straight line. "What's the matter?"

"I told Niall I'd be home!" I blurted. He hadn't called or if he had I hadn't heard my phone. "I better call him. He needs my car to visit his Gran in Yorkshire..."

_Shit! Fuck, fuck, fuck! I can swear as much as I like in my head. Damn it._

My car was at Lusso and I had too much champagne to collect it and maybe Niall could get it in the morning with the spare keys. He could if my spare keys weren't in my old flat with Nicholas which reminded me I had to go there to collect my stuff. I would have to get a taxi back to Niall's to give him my keys so he could get the car from Lusso in the morning.

I wriggled to free myself and he begrudgingly left me with a frown. Retrieving my bag from by the front door, I rummaged through, finding my phone to text Niall and explained the plan, adding a P.S on the end to inform him that there was no girlfriend. I pulled my jeans out of my overnight bag.

"I've got to go..."

"Go?!" He boomed and I flinched.

"I've got one set of car keys and Niall needs them..." I explained while shaking my jeans out, not bothering with underwear, I was only flying home. I thrust one leg into my jeans and hopped around to position myself for the next leg. I turned my back to Louis, not seeing his face. "Oh!" I yelped as he propelled me into the air and over his shoulder. "What are you doing?" While I was staring straight at his firm, tanned butt as he turned, without a word and started stalking across the apartment. "Shit! Louis put me down!" He yanked my jeans off of the one leg I managed to get them on, throwing them aside and slapped my butt. "Ouch!"

"Mouth!"

I heard the door hit plaster, after being kicked open and we entered a bedroom. I noticed it was all black and white in there too.

_What the hell is he doing? Hasn't he had enough of me? Have I had enough of him? You would think so._

I was hauled off of his shoulder, with minimal effort and flying through the air before landing in a sea of luxurious, white cotton. The first thing I noticed was that it smelled divine, just like him, all freshwater and yummy.

I didn't have time to get over my disorientation since he got between my thighs in a nanosecond, his erection nudging at my hole, his hands pinning my wrists on either side of my head. His arms ramrod straight, supporting his upper body.

The man could move fast while I was still not quite sure where I was and how I got there. I did, however, recognize that coiling anticipation lingering deep inside me.

The slippery head of his arousal tickled my hole, having my heart sprinting in my chest, while I focused on his eyes above mine, gazing down at me with a mixture of anger and shock.

"You're not fucking going anywhere." He growled, shifting his hips and plunging full length into me, stretching me to the most incredible level.

We both yelled in unison at the penetration. He went so deep and I instantly griped onto every inch of him inside me. He held still for a few seconds, his head hanging and his mouth lax. All thoughts of car collecting have made way for the anticipation of what was to come.  
  
I really couldn't get enough of him.  
  
Once he gathered himself together, he lifted his gaze to mine and slowly withdrew before ramming straight back in on a loud yell and I threw my head back on a scream.

"Look at me!" His voice was a carnal growl, not to be ignored and I returned my eyes to him as he held himself deep inside me and I started panting like a dehydrated dog. "That's better. Now, do you need a reminder?'" He asked. I rolled my hips to try and get some contact and he stared down at me expectantly. "Answer the question, Harry."

 _A reminder? Of what? How good he feels inside me? Than yes!_  
  
"Please..." I breathed and I couldn't believe I was begging for him.

 _Well, I can, actually. He can do what he likes to me, demand anything._    
  
He smiled a knowing, cocky smile, then he let rip, powering forward.  
  
"Your mine, Harry." He grunted and I shut my eyes on a yell of pleasure. "Open your fucking eyes!"

I dragged them open as he pounded in and out at an inexcusably hard and forceful pace.Our sweat ridden bodies were colliding in an amazing way and my breath hitched as I tried to control the build-up of pressure that was gathering in my groin. Even amid the disorder of our frantic body movements, his eyes never strayed from mine. I wrapped my legs around his waist, tilting my hips slightly, sending him deeper and my bordering detonation was closer. The coils of pleasure tightened to breaking point with his persistent charging forward and I didn't know what to do with myself.

"Jesus, Harry. You okay?" He forced the words from his mouth between gruff shouts. He freed my wrists from his heavy grip and I felt the thud of his fists punching into the mattress.  
  
"Don't stop!" I almost screamed, flinging my hands up to grab his slippery biceps and I dug my nails in to try and find some grip, prompting him to yell some more and pound harder. I threw my head back in despair, the power and control he had were beyond comprehension.  
  
"Damn it, Styles. Look at me!"

My head fell back down and our eyes met. His pupils huge and glazed, nearly canceling out the blueness of his stare and I noticed his frown deepen and sweat dripping down his temples. Shifting my hands to the back of his head, I fisted my hands in his saturated hair, pulling his head down so our lips collided and our tongues clashed, while he continued his punishing blows.

"Louis, I'm going to come..." I panted against his lips, the tips of my fingers numb from my stupidly fierce grasp of him.

"Louis, I'm going to come..." I panted against his lips, the tips of my fingers numb from my stupidly fierce grasp of him.  
  
"Fuck! Together, okay?" He grated through his clenched teeth, driving harder a few more body-blowing, mind-numbing times, before yelling. "Now!"  
  
I let it go between our bodies, all of the pent-up heaviness in my groin, the weight in my lungs and the fire in my belly. It all came out in a massive rush of pressure and a very loud scream.

"Damn!" He cried, thrusting one last, powerful time before stilling over me.

I felt his scorching release shoot deep inside me, and I sagged all around him, closing my eyes in exhaustion. He collapsed to his forearms, breathless and soaking wet, as he withdrew fractionally, pushing deep and high a few more times in long, measured strokes. My muscles contracted around him, milking every last bit of his release.

That man had given me four, incomprehensibly, powerful orgasms in less than four hours, meaning that was one an hour. I was never going to be able to walk the next day.

I laid there sated and limp, panting and aching from the exertion as my eyes started to grow heavy. I felt his forehead rest against mine and I opened my eyes to see that his were clenched shut. I wriggled under him to get his attention, feeling his semi-erection twitch inside me and he dragged his eyes open, lifting his head so he could focus on me. He searched my face, settling on my mouth and leaned down to plant the gentlest kiss on my abused lips. I sighed as he dropped his torso down to lay flush on my body, his hard chest heavy but so wanted. I welcomed the burden and reached around to faintly trace my fingers over his back as I rested my chin on his shoulder and stared up at the ceiling. He shivered lightly and buried his face in my neck, resting his lips against my pulsing vein.

I had never felt so content in all of my life. I knew it was only sex and the after effects but it was the finest feeling in the world. It had to be. The man's fierceness was addictive, his tenderness sweet and his body beyond perfection. He was the perfect mix of maleness and I was in some seriously deep, deep shit.

I laid, still tracing my finger across his back, my eyelids so heavy. His weight was a burden and my fingers were numb from the friction of stroking him. His breathing steady against my neck. He fell asleep with me trapped under his solid body. I stopped caressing his back and he shifted his hips, slowly pulling out of me, leaving a massive empty void. The feeling was unwelcome and left me wishing I had sustained his weight for longer, maybe forever.  
  
He pushed himself up on his elbows and stared down at me. Picking up a loose piece of my hair, he studied the shiny, mahogany lock, watching as he twirled it around his index finger and thumb.  
  
"You almost send me to sleep." His voice was rough.

"I did..."

"You're too beautiful..." He whispered, returning his gaze to mine.

I stared into his sleepy eyes and reached up to run my thumb across his frown line, fanning my fingers in his hair.

"So are you..." I said softly. He offered me a half smile, lowering his head and nuzzled on my chest.

"Consider yourself reminded, young man."

I knew it was a reminder of the fuck after the sense failed. Well, it didn't fail. Although, I would be more inclined to say that he fucked me senseless.

Slowly peeling himself away from my body, he rested back on his heels. The cold rush of air that instantly invaded me had me wanting to yank him back down. He offered me both of his hands and I took them, letting him pull me up to straddle his thighs. Wrapping one arm around my back, he cradled me to him as he turned, maneuvering his body so he was sitting up with his back resting against the headboard with me facing him. He rested his hands on my waist and circled his thumbs on my hips bones, it triggered a shudder to race through me. I threw my hands over his own to still his movements, and he smirked at me.

"Spend the day with me tomorrow..."

_Excuse me? I thought this was just sex? Maybe he wants to spend all day in bed with me. Christ, after tonight, I need a week to recover, maybe longer. I am, quite literally, fucked._

"I have things planned..." I said warily and I was being sensible.

I needed to keep it casual or maybe not see him again at all since he was the epitome of a bad boy, if slightly older. He was hazardous, enigmatic and completely addictive and I knew all of this but I feared I could be hooked.

"What things?" He asked with a slight pout.

I didn't actually have things planned. I had one thing planned, to sort my room out. It was a shocker but I was restricted on space and overrun with personal effects. I should probably start looking for alternative arrangements but I was having such fun with Niall.

"I need to sort my stuff out..." I clamped my hands down when I felt him try to move his thumbs again.

"What stuff?" He looked confused.

"Niall's place is temporary accommodation, I've been there for four weeks, everything is everywhere and I need to sort it out for when I get my own place..."

"Where were you four weeks ago?"

"With Nicholas..." I whispered and he recoiled.

"Who the fuck is Nicholas?"

"Calm down. He's my ex-boyfriend."

"Ex?"

"Yes, Ex!" I confirmed, seeing a wave of relief travel across his face. "I need to go get my car, Louis." I pressed.

I couldn't leave Niall to drive Margo all the way to Yorkshire. It rattled and shook all over the place. Niall would have piles by the time he got there. Niall had to secure his cakes in boxes with polystyrene and straps and reduce his speed to five miles an hour over speed humps.

"Don't worry, I'll take you to get it in the morning."

"He's leaving at eight-ish..." He could be not so keen if I was dragging him out of bed at the crack of dawn on a Saturday.

"-ish." He mouthed with a smirk.  


	12. ღ XII.

I mirrored his smirk, gripping his hands and moving them up to my waist. I started pulling myself closer to him and he looked up at me with narrowed eyes, making me pause.

"What?"

"You refuse to spend the day with me and then thrust that fabulous butt in my face. That's not playing fair, Harry. You know how much I like to fuck that little hole..." He reached up and flicked a nipple, causing it to immediately pucker into a tight bud.

I yelped, grabbing my butt with one hand and hitting his hand with the other.

He watched me with interest, then leaned up, his face plummeted, nestling on my chest. I smiled to myself and smoothed my hands through his damp hair, ignoring the voice in my head telling me not to get too contented. He breathed in deeply before pulling back and planting a soft kiss on each nipple before turning me around in his lap.

"Let me..." He rose his knees so I was cradled between them, my forearms resting on his kneecaps.

He began to run his fingers through my hair to locate one grip, that I put earlier to control some wild strands, pulling it out and handing it over my shoulder for me to take.

"How many have you got in here?" He asked as he massaged my scalp and found another stray grip.

"3 or 4..." I took the grip. "I have a lot of hair to keep up and gel would not do it..."

"There, I think I got them all." He took the grips from my hand and put them on the bedside table before sliding his hands over my shoulders and pulling me back so I was against his chest, the outside of my bent legs resting against the insides of his.

He was so comfortable and my eyes were incredibly heavy.

I had a stupidly busy day and I finished it off on a marathon of sex with a captivating man that I was propped up against. Maybe I should go, it would eradicate the risk of the morning awkwardness that was guaranteed to descend on us come down. But then I felt him wrap his forearms around my upper chest and my head automatically rolled back against his shoulder. I was so comfortable and so sleepy, I was definitely not going anywhere.

With him breathing steadily in my ear and planting random kisses in my hair, it was not long before I was hypnotized by the sound of his steady breaths and my eyelids were even heavier. I reached down and started stroking the outside of his legs.

"How old are you?" I mumbled, feeling myself drifting off. His chest jolted a little, indicating his quiet laugh.

"Twenty-three."

I sleepily snorted my disbelief, but I didn't have the energy to challenge him. I was a slave to sleep and I was gone.

**ººº**

I woke up in the exact same position that I fell asleep in, except the duvet had been pulled up over my waist but Louis' arms were still wrapped around my upper chest, my hands resting on his forearms, the pungent scent of sex in the air.

I needed a wee.

I scanned the room, looking for a clock but not finding any. I heard Louis' soft level breathing in my ear and I became a little reluctant to move and wake him, but I really needed the loo.

I could leave before he woke up and kicked me out.

I set, about gently, peeling his arms away from my sticky body. He moaned a few times in his sleep and I smiled to myself, surprised at my lack of regret. I woke up with no feelings of remorse or mortification, whatsoever. The man was dangerous to my hearts health, I realized that, but there was something about him. I should be repulsed by his persistence, but I was not. I had no regrets, at all, but I also had no desire to outstay my welcome.

I definitely had to keep the upper hand there.

Just when I thought I did good progress, I felt his arms clamp around me like a vice, effectively immobilizing me.

"Don't even think about it, young man..." He growled, his voice raspy from sleep.

I gripped his forearms with my hands, trying to loosen his grip on me.

"I need to use the bathroom..."

"Tough. Hold onto it. I'm comfy."

"I can't!"

"I'm not letting go of you." He stated it as a fact, nudging my hand away with a flick of his forearm while maintaining his hold on me.

I flopped my head back against his shoulder in exasperation and his lips turned into my cheek, kissing it sweetly, his overnight stubble grazing me.

It felt good, but it wasn't the morning reaction I was expecting.

Once I felt he had relaxed his grip slightly and busy nuzzling my cheek, I made my move but as soon as I tensed my muscles to make my escape, I was flipped onto my back, my thighs parted and my wrists pinned on either side of my head. He looked down at me, his eyes bright and skipping with enjoyment.

_Oh yes, he's deeply satisfied with himself, and he looks bloody glorious, with his disheveled hair and dark blonde stubble._

His morning erection was prodding at my willing opening, seeking hole, leaving me defenseless. My body responded to him without even thinking, and the pain in my bladder was soon replaced by a distressed ache in my groin, my heart somewhere between my chest bone and my throat. His daybreak smelled a mixture of clean sweat and that heady fresh water scent I loved so much. I was high on it and not ignorant of the fact that I was breathless. 

_He must think I'm so easy._ _Well, I am...with him._

"Sleep well?"He rubbed his nose against mine.

_He wants a chat now? Sparks are flying off all over the place down below and he wants to chat?_

"Very." I rolled my hips suggestively and his eyebrows rose, his lips twitched.

"Me too."

I waited, uncomplaining, for him to lower his face to mine.

_He wants to do this slowly, and that's fine by me. If he would just hurry up!_

He watched me closely as he slowly dropped his face to mine, and when his lush lips finally brushed over mine, I moaned, opening my mouth invitingly. I involuntarily trembled when he skimmed his tongue gently across mine, taking his time, slowly seducing my mouth and pulling back every so often to kiss my lips gently before he resumed exploring.

_Oh, I like gentle Louis very much. This is a million miles away from the dominant sex Lord I was faced with yesterday._

When he was happy for getting me enthralled, he released my wrists and leisurely stroked down the side of my body with the tip of his index finger. It was enough to have me convulsing and rolling my hips as the pressure in my tummy spiraled down to my core.

His touch was addictive, he was addictive and I was totally addicted.

I reached around to seize his rock-solid arse in my palms and applied a little pressure, deliberately pressing his hips into mine. We both whimpered in harmony against each other's mouths.

"I completely lost myself in you, young man..." He mumbled against my lips. He pulled away, watching my face as he sank slowly and purposely into me, inch by perfect inch, sending my hands flying to his back and my eyes squeezing shut as I felt full to the hilt.

He remained motionless, letting me adjust to him, his back tense, his breathing shallow. I knew it had to be taking everything out of him to be so still.

"Look at me, Harry..." He whispered.

I peeled my eyes open, immediately finding his. His face confirmed my thoughts, his jaw was tense, his light frown line deeper than usual, and his blue eyes blazing. I rolled my hips a fraction to signal I was okay and, on my invitation, he slowly drew back until I was sure he was going to pull out, but then, bit by bit, he plunged straight back into my prostate.

In and out, in and out.

"Hmmm." I moaned on a long exhale.

"I love sleepy sex with you." He breathed.

The deliberate, measured strokes playing havoc with my self-control, and I was pushing my hips up to meet his penetrations, sending him deeper and me higher. The feeling was extraordinary and I was not going to be long if he kept it up.

"Is that good, Harry?" He asked quietly, knowing it was. His gaze was still locked on mine, and I surprised myself maintaining the intimacy. I found it natural, with none of the expected awkwardness, discomfort or uneasiness.

It was like we were supposed to be that way. How stupid.

"Yes..." I breathed.

"Faster?"

"No, just like this, please, just stay like this."

That way was just perfect. The hard, powerful and commanding Louis was amazing, but that was absolutely perfect.

His eyes swam as he regarded me, continuing his measured dives in and out of me, sending me to my edge. I wanted him to kiss me but he seemed content with just looking at me. I linked my legs around his lower back and ran my hands up and down his arms in light, feathery strokes. On a slow withdraw, he paused, momentarily appearing to gather himself, his eyes probing mine.

"Enough of the sleepy sex..." He murmured as he surged forward, thrashing me in the deepest recesses of my body, not giving me a moment to adjust.

He cried out and retreated before repeating the delectable move again and again, slowly withdrawing and striking hard. The pleasure washed over me like an aggressive storm, sending my mind into orbit. His drives were controlled and exact, leaving me close to my limit. I fisted my hands in his hair, pulling his lips down to mine, running my tongue over his bottom lip and biting it lightly, letting it drag through my teeth as I pulled away. He burst forward again, his face tense as he found my lips and kissed me passionately.

"I'm never letting you go..." He informed me, around our kiss and it left me overwhelmed. He was the most potent aphrodisiac to me. Unfamiliar feelings are flooding my mind and heart for the man.

"I don't want you to..." I replied against his lips.

Something had landed in me, and I was confused by it all.

He froze suddenly, stopping the rhythmic drives that had me set to disintegrate in his arms. I winced at the lack of movement, my orgasm lying in limbo. He was still buried balls deep inside me as he pulled his head up and looked at me, snapping out of my confusing thoughts immediately by the look of displeasure on his face.

_Crap, wrong thing to say? I got caught up in the moment, that's all._

I looked away from him, thinking I ruined it.

"Look at me now, Hary." He demanded and I reluctantly returned my eyes to his, finding that his face softened slightly. "We're going to have this conversation when you'll sound minded and not crazy with lust." He drew back to the very tip of his thick erection and hovered over me.

He was right, I was not sound minded when I was around him, especially when he had me like that. He crippled me with pleasure, and he got me saying crazy shit.

His tongue swept his bottom lip and he panted through parted lips as he pushed forward, dragging my dormant orgasm back to life. My skin blazed as he pumped slow and hard, and as deep as he could get. Smoothing my palms through his hair, I pulled him back down to my lips and devoured him, while he continued with his deliberate drives, pushing me closer and closer to yet another orgasmic orgasm.

"I'm going to come..." He mumbled. "Come with me, Harry. Give it to me." And with three more strikes, my mind went blank and fireworks started exploding in my head. I burst beneath him on a loud cry as I came between our bodies. "That's it, baby..." He strained the words, joining me in my pleasure as I rained in my shouts, and moaned, long and low.

His hardness expanded, jerking within me, before releasing round after round of his hot, wet seed deep inside me. He collapsed on top of me, pushing his hips hard against me, ensuring he emptied every last bit of himself. We both laid entangled, panting and struggling for breath.

"I don't know what to say..." He whispered in my ear.

I was only just cognitive, still recovering from my orgasm, but I heard that loud and clear, and I was not quite sure what to make of it. We both said too much. My own little declaration had made me a bit uncomfortable. That was what happened when you got caught up in the moment. Lust, want and passion took over, and before you knew it, ridiculous words were flying out of your mouth.

After a few minutes of silence, I was beyond uncomfortable, so I shuffled a bit under him.

"Can I use the bathroom now?" I mumbled.

He sighed, long and deliberately, wanting me to be aware of his frustration. I had no idea what he was frustrated about, though, considering he had me plenty.

He slid out and heaved himself off of me, making a huge, exaggerated effort of flopping back on the bed. I peeled myself from the covers, without a word, and pad across the white carpet into the bathroom, knowing his eyes were on me and I shut the door behind me.

The inevitable awkwardness had been delayed, but it was there and it was there with a vengeance.

I used the loo, washing my hands after and I took a few moments to psych myself up before I opened the door. He was still sprawled on his back, unapologetically naked, staring straight at me, and I didn't know what to do.

Eventually, I turned back into the bathroom, grabbed a soft, white bath sheet from the tall towel rail and wrapped it around my waist. I exited the bathroom, heading straight to the bedroom door and out into the large living area. I spotted the shattered glass all over the kitchen floor, and it promptly reminded me of the night before when he unexpectedly pounced on me.

It was always going to happen, whether he jumped me or not, but the easiness of our joined bodies had completely diminished, leaving space for awkwardness.

I found my bag by the front door and rummaged through to get my phone.

_Holy shit! It's seven thirty. Niall's leaving in half an hour, or supposed to be._

I sent him a text to tell him that I was on my way home and I haven't turned up.

_He hasn't bloody called to find out where I am, though. Charming!_

"Fucking hell!" I cursed under my breath, spinning around and finding Louis, still naked, looking really rather angry, which riled me instantly. 

_What the hell has he got to be angry about?_

"Mouth!" He growled at me with a scowl.

_He's really mad. Well, so am I. With myself!_

I scooped my bag up and headed for his bathroom, collecting my discarded clothes on my way.

"Can I use your shower?"

"No!" He snapped and I laughed.

"Don't be a child, Louis!" My tone was condescending, and I gave him an extra wide berth, passing him swiftly on my way back to the bedroom.

I needed to not be touching him.

I went to shut the door, but he slammed his shoulder into it, all but barging in behind me. I made a point of glaring at him before I moved away to turn the shower on.

_Is he mad about my crazy pillow talk? I can't blame him. I'm pretty mad at myself. He's absolutely right; I should keep quiet during sex. Come to think of it, so should he. He said some pretty crazy shit too._

I dug through my bag to get the day's before shirt, dropped my shoes to the tiled floor, threw my basics products bag by the sink and brushed my teeth, and the whole time, Louis stood there festering.

When the room was full of steam, I dropped the towel, totally brazen, I was totally pissed but I couldn't give a flying fuck. I opened the shower door and got in to wash off four rounds of Louis Tomlinson. If I wasn't so sticky, with sweat and cum all over me, I wouldn't bother. I would be gone already.

The water was divine and relaxing, despite my scowling spectator, as I washed my hair, letting the water fall over me for the briefest of moments. But I hadn't time to take full advantage of the soothing water. I opened my eyes and the shower door was flung open, the cool air attacking my wet, naked body. Louis was snarling at me.

"You're not going anywhere!" He barked.

I looked at him, completely exasperated, my jaw hitting the shower tray.

_He's made the most of me while I've been here. Is he still not happy?_

"Yes, I bloody am!'"

"No, you're not!"

"What's your problem, Tomlinson?" I was standing in the shower, hot water pounding me, cold air blasting me and facing a brooding hunk of a male.

"You!" He yelled.

"Me?!" I asked in disbelief with the man's nerve.

I turned the water off and pushed my way past his big body, ignoring the sparks that flew off of me from the contact. I wrapped a towel around my waist, roughing it all over to expel the water. I hadn't got time to dry it, and I doubted Mister Unreasonable had a hairdryer.

 _Does he think I'm an object he can fuck at will and order about?_  

I felt his hand wrap around the top of my arm and I brusquely yanked it out of his grasp, carrying on with getting my underwear, jeans and top on.

"I don't want you to leave..." His voice softened.

"Don't be stupid, Louis. You can't keep me here as a sex slave. You've got many willing men falling at your feet, go and busy yourself with one of them." I couldn't believe how harsh I sounded, the thought of him with another man made me want to attack.

I caught his eyes in the mirror, seeing how they were narrowed right on me, burning my skin.

"I don't want other men. I want you."

I paused, mid cream application.

"Haven't you had me enough?" I asked, a massive part of me wanting him to say no, but knowing it was only going to end badly if he did.

He reached up, brushing his knuckles down my cheek and I unconsciously nuzzled into it, closing my eyes.

"I'm sorry..." He said softly. He wrapped his spare arm around my waist, pulling me to his chest, resting his lips against my ear. "Forgive me."

_Oh God, what am I doing? This man is a magnet. He sucks all rationality right out of me._

I turned my face to him, letting him take my mouth gently and hesitantly, his hand moving from my cheek to the back of my head, his fingers threading through my wet hair. He stroked my tongue and skimmed my lips worshipfully.

I was lost in him again, completely lost.

He released my mouth.

"That's better..." He planted a chaste kiss on my nose. "Do you still want a ride?" I raised my eyebrows on a grin.

"To my car?" I asked and he pressed his lips to mine, humming.

"Cheeky. Give me ten minutes." He turned the shower back on and grabbed a fresh towel from the warmer.

"Can I get some water?" I asked.

"Knock yourself out, baby" He slapped my bum and jumped in the shower.


	13. ღ XIII.

I was on my knees, gingerly plucking up pieces of glass from the kitchen floor when Louis strolled in from the bedroom, making me glance up. He rocked up to me wearing heavy beige board shorts, a white Ralph Lauren Polo shirt, collar turned up, and blue converse. The few hairs on his muscled legs were bleached and highlighted by his slight tan. He did not shave, but his stubble didn't conceal his handsome features and I was on my knees, lips parted, looking deprived.

He stopped in front of me, looking down with a grin on his face, looking younger.

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage..." I teased and his eyes sparkled with delight as he squatted in front of me.

"It would seem that your disadvantage would be my complete advantage..." He winked.

I wanted to jump to him, but with a hand full of glass shards, we both fully dressed and late, I resisted.

"Yeah..."

"Here..." He held both his hands out in front of him for me to transfer the glass. "You should have left it, you could have cut yourself..." He moaned at me. I tipped the glass into his palms and heaved myself up from the floor, while he emptied his hands, tipping the glass into the sink. "I'll sort it later." He slipped his Wayfarer's on, collected his keys and my bags, before grabbing my hand to lead me to the door.

"Are you working today?" I asked.

"No, not much goes on at The Manor during the day." He winked at me and I melted. He was all roguish and I loved it.

He opened the door and we immediately were met by a couple of scruffy looking men with clipboards, wearing blue overalls. The embroidered print on their uniforms reads, 'B&C Removals'.

"Mister Tomlinson?" The one that looked like a trucker asked, his yellow teeth indicating at least fifty cigarettes and twenty cups of coffee a day.

"The boxes in the spare room go first. My housekeeper will be here shortly to assist with the rest." He pulled me through the corridor, leaving the trucker type and his lanky apprentice to get on with things. "Be careful with the ski and bike equipment." He yelled behind him.

"You have a housekeeper?" I asked, completely stunned.

_I don't know why. The man's brought the penthouse at Lusso for a cool ten million. Why is this only just sinking in? He's really rich._

"She's the only woman I couldn't live without..." He replied flippantly. "She's off to Ireland next week to visit her family. It'll all fall apart then."

I made it to my car in record time, after Louis dipped and weaved through the early morning traffic. Fellow drivers seemed to be more accommodating to an Aston Martin and a few hand gestures. He loaded my bags into the back of my car, while I checked my phone. Ten past eight, and I was definitely late. I fired a quick text to Niall to tell him I was on my way and looked up, finding Louis staring at me. Even though his Wayfarer's, which he looked tremendous in, I could feel that potent, blue gaze blazing my skin.

I opened the driver's door of my Mini, jumping in and started the engine but Louis was crouched down by my side before I could close the door.

"I'll take you for lunch." He informed me.

"I told you, I've got stacks to get done..." I was not being sidetracked by roguish Louis, although he was very distracting.

"Dinner then..."

"I'll call you later."

I spent the whole night with him, he fucked me into oblivion, and I needed some recovery time.

"Are you refusing me?" His shoulders sagged and he scowled heavily.

"No, I'll call you later..." I said with a frown.

"Fine!" He snapped. "Make sure you do." He leaned in, resting his palm on my jean-clad thigh, and planted a deliberately scorching hot kiss on my lips. He pulled back, leaving me slightly breathless. "I'll wait for your call." He said, strolling away, enhancing that bloody gait.

That was a look-what-your-missing kiss and it worked.

"How old are you, Louis?" I shouted after him.

He turned, walking backward with a fraction of a grin tickling his lips.

"Twenty-four!" He answered and I dropped my shoulders, exhaling a long, exhausted breath.

"How many times have I got to ask you before we get to your real age?"

"Quite a few, young man." He lifted his glasses up a touch and winked before turning away and resuming sexy stride.

Everything that man did was effortless and sexy as hell, the way he carried himself, all confident and virile. It was no wonder people fell at his feet. He was sex personified and I could more than vouch for that.

The engine rumbled to life and he roared off like a teenage rally driver.

_Maybe he is twenty-four. He certainly acts it sometimes._

**ººº**

I flew through the front door and up the stairs, finding Niall drying his hair on the landing. He looked flustered, which meant he was running late. When he spotted me, he turned the dryer off and grinned from ear to ear but I knew I was blushing from head to toe, knowing it was not going to help me if I chose to go on the defensive.

"Had a good night?" He asked with an arched brow, not looking in much of a rush anymore. His eyes were dancing in delight and I couldn't help the smile breaking out across my own face.

"It was okay." I shrugged, reflexively scratching the back of my neck.

_What an understatement. Try mind-blowing, drop dead worthy._

"Ha!" He cried. "Do tell!" He batted my twiddling fingers away from my neck, looking at me expectedly.

"Yeah, he's a God. I can't lie to you. He's the new owner of the penthouse."

"Fuck off! He's delicious and super rich!"

"Weren't you worried about me? I left a message on your phone..." I couldn't believe he had not been worried about me.

"I've not checked my phone. Anyway, the way he was looking at you, the only thing I was worried about was you not being able to walk this morning..." He started laughing as he chucked his dryer on the floor and made his way into his super tidy bedroom. "And, if I'm not mistaken, there's a limp!" He called back.

_I am a bit sore, actually. Four rounds of Louis Tomlinson has taken its toll on my body._

I followed him in, flopping on his perfectly made bed.

"Jesus, Niall. The man has experience." That sudden thought reminded me of all the many conquests that would have come before me and I screwed my face up in disgust.

"You wanted uncomplicated fun and it looks like you've got it! High five!" He air-slapped me and left the room. "And there's no girlfriend?"

"No, but she wants him. I've worked that much out."

"Oh well, unlucky for her. I've got to beat feet but I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. What are you up to while I'm gone?"

I rolled off his bed and smoothed the covers before leaving his immaculate room, shutting the door behind me.

"I'm going to sort my stuff out. Have we got any bin bags?"

"Hurrah! They're under the sink!" He grabbed his bag from the top of the stairs and made his way down to the door. "You're more than welcome to borrow Margo."

_Is he kidding me? I'd have to complete a ten-month leg muscle workout programme to build up the strength to use that clutch. I've got a cramp just thinking about it._

"I'm not going anywhere. Drive safe."

**ººº**

By six o'clock, I was sitting in the middle of my room surrounded by bin bags. I've been brutal. Clearly, my last sort out was half-hearted because I accumulated four sacks of clothes for the charity shop. If I had not worn it in the last six months, then it was in one of those four bags. All of my remaining clothes had been washed and ironed and were folded neatly in an organized manner. I felt cleansed.

I emptied my wastepaper basket into a rubbish sack. The calla lily that Louis gave me tumbled out, all shriveled and discolored. I should have put it in some water, but back then, I didn't plan on seeing the man again, I just wanted to forget about him but it was impossible. I smiled to myself, tying the sack and carting it out to the bin.

I collapsed on the sofa with a bottle of wine and a family size bar of chocolate to catch up on Saturday night, crappy television.

A few hours later, I was staring at the last cube of chocolate and feeling slightly nauseous, thinking I really needed to start buying a regular size. I popped it in and chomped lazily as I flicked the channels repeatedly.

The sound of my phone dragged me from the sofa, my heart giving a little skip, as I knew it could be Louis. I groaned seeing it was Nicholas instead. 

_What does he want? It's Saturday night and he's newly single to do what he pleases. Not that our relationship ever stopped him from doing exactly that anyway._

"Hello?"

 **"Harry, you okay?"**  He didn't sound drunk.

"Yeah, are you?" 

**"Good, how did yesterday go?"**

My wine glass halted on its way to my lips.

_Why do I feel interrogated all of a sudden? It's just a friendly question. What should I say? 'I had sex in the penthouse with the new owner; I went home with him; he fucked me up the arse; he's older, I'm not sure how much older, but an absolute Adonis; I can't walk properly today...'_

"Really good, thanks..." I said instead.

 **"Great!"**  He chirped, but then there was a long pause. I didn't know why all the sudden interest in my career considering that when I told him that I won the Lusso contract, he asked me what I did for dinner.I heard him draw breath.  **"Harry, do you want to have lunch on Tuesday?"** He didn't sound right. He sounded all nervous and timid, not the usual conceited, sure Nicholas that I knew. 

"Sure, is everything okay?"

**"Not really. I'll speak to you Tuesday, yeah?"**

"Okay!" I replied hesitantly, hoping nothing dreadful had happened.

**"I'll meet you at Baroque at one o'clock. Is that okay?"**

"Of course, I'll see you then." I hung up.

He really didn't sound good. He could be an arrogant, cheating rat, and I could be well shot of him, but you didn't just stop caring.

I flicked the television off and took myself to my newly cleaned bedroom, retreating hastily under my duvet, completely whacked. Being tucked up in bed at that time on a Saturday night was new territory for me those days, but after my recent exertions, the sleep was most welcome.

**ººº**

I came awake to music and stretched in my bed, a lovely satisfied stretch that told me I had a very restful sleep. I sat up.

It took a while for my brain to kick into an awake mode, but when it did, I could still hear the music. I brushed my fringe from my face as the music stopped.

I glanced at my clock, seeing it was already nine o'clock. I flopped back on my pillow with a smile, thinking I hadn't slept until so late. It would seem that Louis Tomlinson was good for my sex life and my sleep.

Then the music appeared again. The familiar sound of Noel Gallagher's Sunday Morning Call penetrated my eardrums. I frowned, reaching for my phone and saw Louis' name flashing on the screen. I smiled as I connected the call.

"How did you do that?" My voice was husky from sleep.

 **"Do what?"**  He asked. I couldn't see him, but I knew he was grinning that cocky, sexy grin.

"You rigged my phone!" I accused.

**"Where are you?"**

"In bed." 

 **"Naked?"**  He asked all low and husky.

"No, I'm not." I was not getting into sleazy phone sex, I knew where it was going, and his voice was already doing things to me.

**"I could remedy that."**

I shuddered at the thought, wondering how could he spark such reactions by being at the end of the phone.

"How's your new apartment?" I needed to change the direction of the conversation quickly.

**"Full of Italian shit."**

"Funny. Where are you?" I smiled and he sighed.

 **"At The Manor. You said you would call."**  He sounded slighted.

_Yes, I did say I would call, but it's only been twenty-four hours; well, -ish, and I'm majorly uncomfortable with the fact that I really, really wanted to call him._

"I got carried away sorting my room out." I did and it was a good job done since I was ignoring the fact that I purposely kept myself busy.

**"What are you doing today? I want to see you."**

_What? Just like that? Christ, hasn't he had enough of me? Obviously not, but is this a good Idea? Damn, I want to see him. I'm much too young for him. And I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him. With his looks, confidence, and talent in the pleasure department, he's a fine way to a broken heart. I need a reliable, trustworthy man; a man who'll look after me and walk on hot coals for me._

I silently laughed. My expectations were ridiculously high, but given my last two relationships, I was sticking to the plan.

If Louis wanted to see me, it should be on my terms, I couldn't be seen to be desperate.

"No can do!" I said dismissively. "I'm super busy." 

_Doing sweet fuck all! Damn, I want to see him._

**"Busy doing what?"**  He was shocked.

_Why wouldn't I be busy? I have a life._

"All sorts."

 **"Are you fiddling with your hair, by any chance?"**  His voice was full of humor and I paused, mid-twiddle.

"I'll call you tomorrow!" I informed him.

I was just about to hang up when I heard that cold, unfriendly voice I hated so much.

_What the bloody hell is she doing there? I'm uncomfortable with how uncomfortable that makes me feel. Why should I care?_

**"Harry, wait a minute."**  He probably covered his phone because the voices became muffled, but it was definitely her. I bristled all over, which was crazy stupid.  **"Hannah, just give me a second, will you?"**  He sounded slightly pissed.  **"Harry, are you there?"**

"Yeah..." I answered, just wanting to hang up.

 **"You'll call tomorrow."**  He said, ina statement, not a question.

"I will." I hung up quickly.

That was not how I wanted to end the conversation. He pretty much told me to call, and I agreed. That was not being on the front foot.

I huffed my way out of bed and took myself to the shower thinking about what I should do during the day.

Niall was not home and the house was spick and span, as usual. I needed something to divert my unreasonable, jealous frame of mind.


	14. ღ XIV.

"Fucking hell!" Niall stood in my bedroom doorway with open-mouthed and wide-eyed. "What happened?"

I tucked my black shirt into my capri pants and marveled at how easily I located my black, suede converse and gold belt, feeling like I was very organized that morning.

"How's your Gran?" I asked, feeding my belt through the loops of my trousers.

"Still senile. What did you get up to while I was gone?" He started plumping a pillow on my bed.

I gestured around the room, with a what-do-you-think look, leaving out the fact that Nicholas called and I agreed to meet him. I would also omit the Louis called that resulted in me sulking for the best part of the day before. 

"What time did you get back?" I asked. I had given up waiting and pigged Niall's half of the wine after I called and discovered that he was stuck at junction nineteen of the M1.

"Ten. All of the commuters returning to the city were clogging the roads. I'll do the train next time. Can I borrow you after work?"

"Sure, what for?"

"I've got a cake delivery I need some help with." He said.

"No worries. Pick me up from the office at six!" I grabbed my black bag from my newly organized bag cupboard and started transferring my things from the week before's bag.

"Will do, have you heard from the God?"

My head snapped up, and I found Niall grinning from ear to ear as he folded up my bed throw. I narrowed my eyes at him before presenting myself to the mirror to tie my hair in a bun.

"You mean the Lord. He called." I disclosed casually, popping my lips and catching his reflection. He was still grinning. "What?" I gasped.

"Have we established an age?" He asked and I scoffed.

"No, I keep asking and he keeps lying. It's obviously an issue."

"Well, the man's landed himself a hot bird of twenty-six. He probably can't believe his luck. He's thirty-five, maximum."

"He hasn't landed me, it's just sex." I corrected him, rather unconvincingly. I collected my bag, leaving Niall tweaking my bed covers as I headed to the kitchen, pouring myself some orange juice and took my phone off charge.

Niall waltzed in as I was feeding myself my pill. He flicked the kettle on.

"You can't beat a good screw with an Adonis to get you over a relationship. He's your rebound fuck."

I laughed.

_Yes, that's exactly what he is. Not that I needed any distractions to get over Nick. That was pretty easy._

"Correct" I agreed. "I'll see you after work."

He leaned over the banister as I ran down the stairs.

"Six o'clock!"

**ººº**

It was a usual Monday morning again, but most unusual was that everyone was there. There was always at least one of us out of the office on-site visits or appointments.

I was in the kitchen with Patrick, filling him in on Miss Kent's new house.

"Have you ever asked her if she would change the theme? It may influence whether it feels like home. It would potentially save Mister K a fortune" Patrick laughed. "Not that I'm complaining, of course. She can move every year for the rest of her life, for all I care, as long as she keeps contracting you to jazz the place up."

I frowned.

"Jazz? I do more than jazz the place up, Patrick. I don't know. She insists on modern everything, but I'm not sure it's really her thing. I think she gets bored. That or she loves having the workmen around." I raised my eyebrows with a laugh.

"Now, there's a thought!" Patrick laughed with me. "The old goat is seventy if a day. Maybe she should get a toy-boy. God knows if Mister K has plenty of young scrumpet scattered around the globe. I have that straight from a very reliable source." He winked at me, and I smiled fondly at him.

I knew Patrick was referring to his wife, Irene. If it was happening in the town, Irene knew about it. She was a self-confessed busybody, know-it-all, and gossip, if she didn't know about it, then it wasn't worth knowing about. I didn't know how Patrick put up with her. It had to be exhausting to be subjected to her oral cavity on a daily basis. Luckily, she only swang by the office once a week before her wash and set. Nodding and concurring was manageable for the half hour she spent bringing us up to date on her hectic social life, and that of others. I always tried my very hardest to arrange appointments for a Wednesday around noon, when I knew she would be in. Patrick was friendly and jolly, I loved him, but Irene was terrifying, she scared the crap out of me.

"How is Irene?" I asked politely, not really caring. He threw his hands up in despair.

"She drives me insane! The woman has the attention span of a toddler. She's ditched playing bridge and has now informed me that she's enrolled in some Kumba dancing nonsense. I can't keep up with her!"

"You mean Zumba?"

"That's the one!" He pointed his chocolate digestive at me. "It's all the rage, apparently." I chuckled at the thought of Irene in a leopard print leotard, jiggling her over-generous rump all over the place. "Oh, Van Der Haus wants to meet you on Wednesday!" Patrick winked. "They really want you, flower."

"Really?" I asked surprised and he laughed.

"You're too modest, my boy. I checked your diary and penciled in twelve thirty. He's at Royal Park. Is that okay?"

"Absolutely!" I didn't need to check because Patrick had already taken the liberty of doing that for me and damn if it wasn't going to get me out of enduring the week's update from Irene. I pushed myself away from the kitchen worktop by my bum and headed for my desk. "I'm going to finalize some drawings and email some contractors..."

His mobile started ringing.

"What does she want now?" I heard him grumble.

As I was getting ready to run over to the deli to grab some lunch, Tom pranced up to my desk.

"Delivery for Harry!" He screeched at me, placing a box on my desk.

_What's this? I'm not expecting any catalogs._

"Thanks, Tom. Did you have a good night on Friday?" I asked and he gasped with a grin.

"I met the scientist. Oh my, but the man is divine!"

"So, that would be a yes?" I confirmed.

"Yes. Tell me who that man was?" He planted his hands on my desk, leaning in towards me.

"What man?" I blurted, far too quickly. I retreated into my chair to get some distance from the interrogating presence of my nosey friend.

"Your reaction speaks volumes." His eyes narrowed at me as my face burned up.

"He's just a client..." I shrugged.

Tom's scrutinizing stare moved to my fingers that were playing with a lock of my hair and I released it, quickly picking up a pen. I needed to work on the lying business since I was truly rubbish at it. His tongue moved into his cheek as he straightened himself and walked away from my desk.

_What's wrong with me? So what! I've been fucking a handsome, thirty-something man. Or is it forty-something? He's my rebound fuck._

I yanked the box open, finding a single calla lily on top of a book that was wrapped in tissue paper.

**Giuseppe Cavalli. 1936-1961**

I opened the cover and a note slipped out.

**Harry,**   
**To me, you are a book I have opened. I can't put it down. I need to know more.**   
**Lx**

_Holy shit! What does he want to know? There's absolutely nothing to know. I'm just a normal mid-twenties boy. He could start by telling me a few things, like how old he is, for a start. Is it normal to send gifts to someone you're fucking? Maybe it is to a mature man._

 

I didn't have time to think about this at the moment, I had a heap of emails to respond to and furniture deliveries to chase. I threw the book in my bag, popping the lily in my top drawer and darted over to the deli for lunch, before cracking on.

**ººº**

At six o'clock, Margo hissed and banged up to the pavement to pick me up. I battled with the rusty handle and finally climbed in, pushing a dozen cake magazines and empty Starbucks cups to the floor before I could settle myself on the seat.

At six o'clock, Margo hissed and banged up to the pavement to pick me up. I battled with the rusty handle and finally climbed in, pushing a dozen cake magazines and empty Starbucks cups to the floor before I could settle myself on the seat.

"You need a new delivery van..." I grumbled.

Considering how crazy tidy Niall was at home, Margo was the pits.

"Shhhh, you'll hurt her feelings!" He grinned. "Good day?" He eyed me warily and my shoulders slumped spectacularly.

I got zero work done. Instead, I spent all day thinking about a certain stunning creature of an age I still didn't know.

I got the book and note out of my bag and handed it to him across the van. He took it from me, uncertainty marrying his pretty, pale features, as he opened the front sleeve and the note slipped onto his lap. He picked it up, scanned the words and gaped at me.

"I know..." I said in agreement at his stunned face.

He read the note again, his gaped mouth closing and turning into a grin.

"Yikes! The Lord is deep!" He thrust the book back at me and pulled into the traffic.

"He is..." I started thinking about pillow talk, but just as fast, I stopped thinking about it.

"Just how good in bed are we talking here?" Niall asked casually, keeping his eyes on the road and my head snapped to the side to look at him, but he didn't return my stare.

"Very!" I replied.

_The best, amazing, mind-blowing! I want to do it again and again and again!_

"Will this be a pinball rebound?" He asked and I sighed.

"Yes, I think it will and not just because of the sex..." He reached over and squeezed my knee, smiling thoughtfully, knowing what was happening.

We slowed at the entrance of a residential street, and Niall bought Margo to a stop.

"Right, get in the back!" He ordered.

"What?"

"Get in the back, Haz!" He reinforced his instructions with a batting of my knee.

"Why?" I knew I was frowning heavily.

He pointed down the street and realization dawned on me. I looked at him, completely wide-eyed and he had the decency to look a little apologetic.

"I've strapped, padded and cushioned, but this street is a fucking nightmare. That cake took me two weeks to finish. If it goes over, I'm fucked."

I turned my gaped mouth away from Niall and looked down the tree-lined street, with parked cars on both sides and room for one line of traffic down the middle. That was not what was bothering me, though. It was the vicious, black rubber speed humps dotted every twenty yards that had my attention. I was going to be tossed about like a penny in a tumble dryer.

"Can't we carry it?" I asked desperately.

"It's five tiers and it weighs a ton. Just hold onto the box. It'll be fine." I exhaled, unclipping my seatbelt.

"I can't believe you've got me doing this!" I grumbled, climbing into the back of the van and wrapping my arms around the tall cake box. "Couldn't you assemble it on site?!"

"Nope!"

"Why?"

"I just couldn't. Hold the fucking cake!" He yelled impatiently.

I tightened my grip, spreading my legs to keep my balance, and laid my cheek against the box. We were positioned at the mouth of the road, engine revving and looking like something out of a comedy sketch.

"Ready?" He called back and I heard Margo crunching into gear.

"Just bloody get on with it, will you?" I snapped. He was giggling as he slowly started creeping forward. A car horn started honking impatiently from behind.

"Fuck off, you tosser!" Niall yelled as we hit our first speed hump. I was propelled into the air, my face squishing against the box.

"Niall!" I screeched, landing on my arse.

"Don't let go of that box!"

"Will you take it easy?!" I scrambled back to my feet.

"I need a run-up, else she won't make it over!" He exclaimed, hitting another hump.

"Bloody hell!" I was catapulted into the air, landing with an almighty thud. "Niall!" He was laughing hard there, only serving to piss me off more.

"Sorry!" He gasped.

"No, you're not!" I grated, pulling myself up again.

"Oh, no!" He admitted and I blew my hair out of my face.

"What?"

"I'm not reversing mister!" He hissed.

I spotted a Jaguar-driving at us and with only enough width for one vehicle and no space to pull in, it was a standoff. A string of loud car horns started singing out around us as Niall proceeded forward, knocking me all over the place in the back of Margo.

"I'll ram you!" He warned Mister Jaguar, smacking his horn repeatedly. "Is the cake okay?"

"Yes! Don't you dare let him win!" I yelled, landing on my backside, again. "Shit!"

"Hang on, only two more to go."

"Oh, God!"

Two jolts later and probably another two more bruises on my behind, we were double parked and unloading the stupid five-tier cake. Mister Jaguar was honking, cursing and throwing hand gestures all over the place, but we ignored him. I helped Niall out with the cake, delivering it into the massive kitchen of Miss Link, who was throwing a sweet sixteen for her daughter. I left Niall to sort the rest and went back to Margo to wait for him, ignoring the car horns.

Noel Gallagher invaded my eardrums, singing Sunday Morning Call from the front seat and my heart, which was hammering through exhaustion, started hammering an excited drum in my chest. I scrambled to the front and answered, ignoring the reasons for my keenness to speak to him.

"Hey!" I puffed down the phone, jumping out and slumping against the side of Margo,knackered.

 **"Okay. Now, I know it's not me that is worn you out, so do you mind telling me who has you puffing and panting like you've been fucked into next week?"**  I smiled ashis voice was a welcome distraction from the fiasco of the last twenty minutes.  **"What's with all the car horns?"**  He asked.

"I'm delivering a cake with Niall and we're blocking the road..." I explained, but I was distracted by an overweight, balding, middle-aged businessman approaching with a face like thunder.

"Move the van, you stupid fucking cow!" He bellowed at me, waving his arms about.

 **"Who the fuck is that?!"** Louis yelled down the phone.

"No one..." I blurted and the big baldy kicked Margo's tire.

"Move it, bitch!" 

I heard Louis growl.

 **"Tell me he didn't just say that."**  His voice was sadistic.

"It's fine, Niall's coming now." I lied on a squeak.

**"Where are you?"**

"I don't know, somewhere in Belgravia..." I didn't really take much notice since I was too busy being flung around in the back of Margo to take notes of street names.

"Are you fucking deaf, you stupid bitch?!" Big baldy shoved me.

I could hear Louis hyperventilating down the phone, but then he was gone. I glanced at my screen and saw the call had ended. Snapping my head up, I looked towards the steps that led to Miss Link's house, but the front door was still firmly closed. I was shoved in the back again by Baldy.

"Please, give me five minutes..." I pleaded with the irate twat. If Niall was there, he would be on his arse.

"Just move the fucking shred, you dopey cow!" He roared in my face, making me recoil.

I started to feel my feet hurting so I took my shoes off, putting them on the back of the van. I ran onto the pavement, stepping on every stray stone on my way, and up the steps to Miss Link's front door.

"Niall!" I knocked frantically, turning and smiling sweetly at Mister Baldy Jag, earning myself another torrent of abuse. The guy needed serious anger management."Niall!" I shouted, banging again. Car horns were blaring all around, I had the angriest man I had ever encountered hurling abuse at me and my arse was sore. "NIALL!!!" My throat was bloody sore too but then I had a thought. 

I gingerly ran down the steps, back onto the street to check Margo's ignition, going around the back to avoid baldy. It would seem that he was not so willing to let me evade him, though, and I collided with his fat, sweaty body as I reached the driver's door.

"Oh!" I cried, getting a waft of stale body odor and he grabbed the top of my arm, squeezing hard.

"If you don't move that fucking thing now, I'll slap your skinny arse all over this street!"

I leaned back against the van as he tightened his hold on my arm to a point, so painful, I wanted to cry out.

_He's a fucking psycho! I'm going to be bludgeoned on a posh, leafy residential street in posh Belgravia and be plastered all over tomorrow morning's news. I'm never going to talk to Niall again._

I felt my eyes welling up with panicky tears as I was pinned to the side of Margo with not a clue what to do. That was an aggressive type, a wife beater, for sure.

"Get your fucking hands off him!"

The roar that pierced the air around me, blocking out all car horns and London traffic, made my knees buckle with relief. I turned towards the direction of the most welcome voice I had ever heard and I saw Louis running down the middle of the road, in his suit, looking murderous.

_Oh, thank God!_

I didn't know where he had come from, and I couldn't care less. The relief that washed over me was overwhelming. I had never been so glad to see anyone in my life, and the fact that it was a man I had known barely a week should be telling me something.

Mister Baldy Jag's fat ugly head snapped up in Louis' direction, a deep look of panic instantly invading his sweaty features. I felt his grip easing up, letting go of me and stepping back from Margo, he started weighing up the mountain of lean tallness that was running at full pelt towards us. The intention to scarper was clear on his ugly face but he didn't get the chance to, though. Louis charged him before he could set his short legs to work, taking him clean from his feet and sending him crashing to the tarmac.

_My God! I was wrong. Baldy isn't the angriest man I've ever seen._

I watched as Louis' fist collided with Baldies face before he kicked him in the gut, causing him to cry out.

"Get off your fat arse and apologize!" Louis yanked him up from the road, presenting him to me. "Apologize!" He roared.

I looked at Baldy, who was huffing and puffing, his nose clearly broken, blood dripping down his slimy suit. I would feel sorry for him if he wasn't such a nasty bastard. 

"I...I'm s...sorry." He stuttered, looking completely dazed. Louis' fisted hand in Baldies jacket shook him.

"Lay a finger of him again, I'll rip your fucking head off!" His voice was menacing. "Now, fuck off." He shoved the crumpled heap of a man out of his hands and grabbed me, yanking me into his chest.

I fell apart, feeling like a stupid blubbering wreck as I sobbed all over Louis' expensive suit, while he held me in his hard warm chest.

"I should have finished the bastard off!" He grumbled. "Hey, stop your crying baby, I'll get crazy mad..." He spread his palm over the back of my head and sighed in my hair.

"Where did you come from?" I mumbled into his chest, not really caring, I was just glad he was there.

"I wasn't far and you weren't hard to find. It's anarchy back there. Where's Niall?"

_Yes, where is Niall? Mayhem has broken out and he's still nowhere to be seen. I'm going to kill him! After I've had my fix of Louis, I'm going to kill him._

"Hey, what's going on?"

I emerged from Louis' chest and saw Niall standing at the front of Margo, looking rather bewildered.

"I think you need to move your van, Niall..." Louis advised diplomatically.

"Oh, okay..." He shrugged, completely oblivious and Louis pulled back, running his eyes down my body.

"Where are your shoes?" He asked with a frown, his eyes darkening with rage again, clearly thinking I lost them in the ruckus with baldy.

"They're in the back of Margo..." I sniffled. "The van..." I elaborated when his brow knitted in confusion. He picked me up and carried me around to the pavement, sitting me on a wall outside Miss Link's house.

"I'm not even going to ask how they got there."

"I'll get them!" Niall shouted. "What happened?" He came running over with my shoes.

"Where were you?" I asked shortly and he rolled his eyes.

"I got dragged upstairs for a showing of the party dress. It was way too small and pretty painful to watch. It took them ten minutes to stuff her into the thing." He glanced over at Louis, who was grabbing my bag from the front seat of Margo. "What happened?" He asked again in a whisper. "He looks fuming."

"I got roughed up by Mister Jaguar..." I brushed the gravel from the bottom of my sore soles and put my shoes on. "Louis called as it kicked off. I don't know where he came from."

"Harry, I'm sorry!" He sat on the wall and put an arm around me. "Thank God for the Lord, hm?" I could detect the suggestion in his tone.

"Niall, you need to shift that van before war breaks out." Louis strolled over with my bag, and I got to my feet. I rested my bum back down on the wall again and I winced, feeling my feet and arse hurt. Louis frowned when he caught me flinching. "I'm taking Harry with me." He watched me shift my aching backside on the wall.

"You are?!" I blurted and he rose his eyebrows.

"Yes, I am." He retorted in a tone that dared me to object.

"It's fine, I can go with Niall..." I suggested, anyway. I had probably disrupted whatever he was doing, with my Monday evening drama.

"No, you're coming with me." He spelled the words out, his lips pressing into a straight line.

_Yeah, I'm not arguing with him on this._

Niall did a tennis spectator impression, looking to and fro between us, eventually getting up.

"I'll see you at home!" He kissed my temple and planted a big kiss on Louis' cheek, making his eyes bulge and my jaw drop.

As Niall strolled off towards Margo, with absolutely no urgency, he looked back, grinning, and winked. I flicked a warning stare that he completely ignored. I looked up at the tall, handsome beast in front of me, looking edible in his grey suit and crisp white shirt, and found sludgy blue eyes narrowed on me.

"Why are you flinching?" He asked and I stood up, wincing again when my feet took my full weight.

"My backside hurts..." I rubbed my battered bum and reached to take my bag from him. "I was holding Niall's cake up in the back of Margo."

"You didn't have a seatbelt on?"

"No, you don't get seatbelts in the back of vans, Louis."

He shook his head and picked me up, cradling me in his strong arms, before striding off down the street. I sighed heavily and let him do his thing, resting my head against his shoulder and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"You didn't call me. I told you to call." He grumbled accusingly and I sighed.

"I'm sorry..."

"So am I." He said quietly.

"What are you sorry for?"

"For not being here sooner."

"You weren't to know..."

"Well, if you had of called, then I would have of known you planned on doing something so stupid and I would have stopped you. Do what you're told next time."

I frowned into his shoulder and he looked down at me as if sensing my response to his scold. He grinned, brushing his lips against my forehead and my eyes closed. I couldn't ignore it, there was definitely something there and it knocked the wind right out of my singleton sails.

When we reached the end of the street, I looked up and saw Louis' Aston Martin abandoned at an angle, from where he clearly couldn't get through the traffic. A few passersby were floating around, admiring the deserted car. He dropped me in the passenger seat and shut the door before striding around to the front, sliding in behind the wheel and razzing off, leaving the chaos behind us. I sat happily admiring his profile as he dipped and weaved through the traffic.

He dropped everything and came running to rescue me. I'd be lying if I said his actions were unwelcome.

"You okay, baby?" He glanced over and placed his hand on my knee.

I smiled and I could feel myself slipping more with every minute I spent with him, not sure if that was a good or a bad thing. 

He pulled up outside Niall's and I was not surprised that Margo's had not arrived home, considering Louis drove like a loon. I let myself out of the car, but I was soon scooped up and carried up the path to the front door.

"I can walk..." I complained but he ignored me, taking my keys from my hand when we reached the door and opening it himself before kicking it shut behind us. I wriggled and he placed me on my feet, his hand wrapping around my waist, pulling me into him.

I was lifted so my feet left the ground and my lips met his. I sighed, linking my arms around his neck, letting his tongue roll around my mouth slowly and calmly.

_I'm screwed if I even think I can resist him. I'm totally fucking screwed._

"Thank you for the book..." I said against his lips and he leaned back, gazing at me, his blue eyes twinkling with pleasure.

"You're more than welcome!" He dropped a chaste kiss on my lips.

"Thank you for saving me..." I added and he smiled that cheeky, roguish smile.

"Anytime, baby." The front door flew open and Niall bowled in, larger than life, clocking us in our embrace.

"Sorry." He mouthed, hastily retreating upstairs to the flat.

Louis laughed lightly and rolled his hips into me, unearthing a delightful drum deep in my stomach. My breath hitched as his forehead met mine. He sighed, long and hard, his minty breath invading my nose.

"If we were alone, you would be against that wall and I would be fucking you stupidly..." He rolled again, dragging a whimper from me as the drumming moved into my core. I mentally cursed Niall to Hell.

"I can be quiet..." I whispered. "Gag me if you must..."


	15. ღ XV.

He smirked.

"Trust me, you'll be screaming. No gag will stifle it." My body convulsed. "Now, tomorrow..." He said assertively. "I'd like to make an appointment." He probably caught my confusion because he started laughing. "I want you back at The Manor so you can take the details you really need to start working on some designs..."

My mouth formed an O and he leaned down, plunging his tongue in, attacking me with passion. I let him take me with everything he had, my knees buckling when he rolled those damn, delectable hips again. He broke away panting, his eyes clenched shut.

"I don't make appointments to fuck you, Harry. I'll be doing that when I please."

He seemed to summon some sort of strength from somewhere before releasing me, leaving me to stand on my own and I felt abandoned and weak. He removed his hooded eyes from mine and glanced up the stairs, and I knew he was cursing Niall for being home too.

I couldn't believe he teased me with a few delicious thrusts and he was going. I had gone from playing it cool, to mentally begging for it.

"The Manor at noon." He stated, reaching up and running his finger down my cheek. I nodded. "Good boy." He smiled, pushing his lips against my forehead before he turned and strode out while I sagged against the wall, trying to catch my breath.

"Hey, is the Lord gone?" I looked up to see Niall hanging over the banister waving a bottle of wine.

_Oh, yes. That I need._

**ººº**

The next morning, I landed in the office with an almighty crash, quite literally. I was sprawled across the wooden floor, surrounded by boxes, with Tom's running towards me, horror plastered all over his baby face.

"Oh, God. Are you okay?" He reached down to help me up, brushing down my black, fitted jeans before beginning on my sleeveless blouse. "I'm so sorry! I was just moving them into storage..." He flapped around me like a mother hen, babbling about health and safety and accident books.

"Tom, I'm fine! Now, get your hands off my nipples!" He quickly withdrew his flapping hands from my chest, giggling. "What's in the boxes?"

"Samples, Sally took delivery of them. You would've thought she'd have put them in the cupboard. The girl's useless." Tom moaned. I scanned the office and saw Sally fighting with the photocopier, in a world of her own.

"Morning!" I heard Victoria before I saw her. "Tom, I'm never going out with you again!" She hissed at him, perching herself on her chair.

I looked to each of them in turn, waiting for an explanation, but it was not forthcoming from either of them.

"What's going on?" I asked. Tom shrugged guiltily as Victoria took a long breath, ready to launch into an inch by inch account of her grievance.

"He dumped me again!" She narrowed her eyes at Tom accusingly. I dropped my bag by my desk and watched as Victoria fired all sorts of accusations at a very guilty looking Tom. "Don't ask me to come out with you ever again!" She spat, pointing her pen at him. "Friday, you cleared off with the scientist, and last night you didn't even have the decency to go home with the same man!"

"Tom!" I gasped sarcastically. "I thought the scientist was your soul mate!?"

"He still might be!" Tom defended himself in a high pitched voice. "I'm just sampling what's on offer before I decide on what to invest in!"

Victoria scoffed and swiveled her chair around, effectively blanking him out. I sat gingerly, wincing as my butt came to rest on the soft padded seat that felt more like iron. I got my phone from my bag and found a text from Niall.

**Left early, didn't want to wake u in case u were dreaming of all things Lord like ;-)**

**Baroque at 1? Have to be back for 2:30 xxx**

_Yes and daydreams too._

I started to text back a big, resounding 'no' to Niall's lunch offer since I was going to meet a God but then froze mid-type as I remembered I wassupposed to be meeting Nicholas for lunch.

I slumped in my chair. My mind was all over the place at the moment, and I was not going to try and kid myself as to why that was. I sat drumming my nail on my front tooth, trying to work out how I could get around this.

_My conclusion? I can't, so I text Niall first._

**Sorry, busy busy busy. S u at home. Hx**

I couldn't believe I was sitting twiddling my hair as I texted a lie, but he would go loopy if he knew I had arranged to meet Nick.

I recommenced the drumming of my tooth, struggling to decide which man I was going to be letting down. Nick sounded really low and said he wasn't okay. Louis wanted me back at The Manor to commence design, with the possibility of some added extras.

My thighs squeezed together at the prospect and I picked my phone up to call Nick.

 **"Hey!"** He greeted me, sounding happier than I thought he would.

"Hey, listen, something's come up. Can we rearrange?" I held my breath, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip as I waited for his response, and yes, I was twiddling my hair. I was not even really lying, something had come up.

 **"Harry, please!"** He begged and I dropped my lock of hair immediately. The sure, arrogant Nick was gone again, being replaced with an uncertain, timid stranger.  **"I really need to see you..."**

I slumped back in my chair, completely defeated.

_How can I not go when he hits me with that? There must be something seriously wrong._

"Sure..." I sighed. "I'll see you at Baroque."

 **"Brill, see you then."**  His self-assured tone returned.

I busied myself with emails and checking up on contractor progress. At the same time, I was thinking of all sorts of excuses I could feed Louis. Good thing was that I didn't have to face him because, with me and my twiddling fingers, I would be rumbled instantly.

Patrick came rolling in at eleven with Starbucks and I could kiss him.

"Cappuccino, extra shot, no sugar or chocolate for you, flower." He clucked my cheek, placing my coffee on my desk. "Don't forget your appointment with Mikael tomorrow." He perched on my desk, and I held my breath as it creaked.

"No, I haven't." I pushed my diary across my desk for Patrick to see the big, bold print.

"Good boy. How did you get on at The Manor?"

I blushed instantly. I didn't tell Patrick about my second appointment, but he only had to flick through my diary to see, which he obviously had.

"Fine!" I squeaked, my voice a few notes higher than my normal tone, my face burning up. I willed him to accept my one word, abrupt answer and left me alone.

"Jolly good. Keep me posted." He lifted himself up from my desk and went about handing out the rest of the coffees. I instinctively checked underneath for splintered wood or loose screws, puffing my cheeks out in relief for both his lack of interrogation and for my desk's wellbeing. With all of my distractions, I hadn't considered the possibility of Patrick finding out about my extracurricular activities with Mister Tomlinson and it was something that could be tricky.

My phone alerted me of a text. I snatched it up quickly, finding a reply from Niall.

**Get the wine xxx**

I looked at the clock on my computer. Eleven fifteen. I would be leaving for my noon appointment with Mister Tomlinson about then. I bit the bullet and pulled his number up, but instead of calling him, I was a complete shit bag and only texted him.

**Something important has come up. We'll re-arrange. Ring u later. Hx**

No sooner had I placed my phone back on my desk and untangled my finger from my hair, the office door opened and a spray of calla lilies were carted in by the delivery girl from Lusso. I saw Tom point to my desk and I was instantly flooded with guilt as I re-slumped in my chair.

I stood him up and he sent me flowers. Well, I had not technically stood him up, I was rearranging a business meeting, and I was sure he would understand.

I accepted the flowers, signing the delivery girl's paperwork before finding the card.

**I'm looking very forward to my appointment.  
You should be too.  
Lx**

I dropped my arms on the desk and buried my head in them, feeling like a hundred tons of shit.

He went to all that trouble the day before, pounding on Mister Baldy Jag, rescuing me from certain assault, and I was a complete loser and ditched him for my ex. I need help. Good Lord, if Niall found out, I was a goner. I needed to tell Louis to lay off on the flower deliveries to my office, though because it wouldn't be long before Patrick started asking questions.

I left at twelve forty-five to go and meet Nick, after being even more of a shit bag and ignoring ten missed calls from Louis. I knew I was making things worse for myself, but I gathered after I missed his first call due to a genuine toilet break, his second because I was on the landline and then it proceeded to persistently ring thereafter, that he was not very happy. And I was also thoroughly fed up with one of my all-time favorite tracks.

When I arrived, the bar was busy, but I spotted Nick in the corner with drinks already on the table. He jumped up when he spotted me, smiling brightly.

"Harry!" He grabbed me, squeezing me to his chest, throwing me out completely. He had never hugged me like that, even when we were together. He pulled away and planted a kiss on my cheek, lingering longer than was necessary. "Thanks for coming. I got you a wine, your favorite. Is that okay?"

"Sure..." I smiled, thinking a small cup wouldn't hurt. I broke away from him and settled on the opposite chair. "Is everything okay?" I asked nervously, my voice laced with all of the apprehension I really felt.

"You look nice!" He said cheerfully on a smile. "Did you want something to eat?"

"No, I'm fine..." I frowned at him. "Nick, what have you got to tell me? You said you weren't okay." He was acting shifty and nervous, and it was making me incredibly uncomfortable.

I took a sip of my wine, watching him over my glass as he fidgeted and played with the rim of his pint. He eventually drew a deep breath and leaned across the table, placing his hand over mine. I halted mid-sip, looking down at his hand, realization hitting.

I widened my eyes at him and prayed he was going to tell me that Henry, the goldfish, was dead. Please be that, instead of what I thought was coming.

"Harry, I want you back." He said, firmly and concisely.I certainly didn't see that coming, not until about ten seconds ago.My glass was still hovering at my lips as he continued. "I was a total twat. I don't deserve any second chances..." He added and I scoffed.

"Second chance?!" I asked sarcastically and he dropped his head in defeat.

"Yeah, okay, I take your point." He lifted his head, his face all genuine and soppy. "It will never happen again, I promise you."

_Is he having me on? How many times have I heard the same old bullshit? He's a serial cheater._

"Nick, I'm sorry, but it's never going to happen..." I told him evenly and calmly and his eyes widened with surprise. I shook my head lightly to reaffirm my statement. In the space of three seconds, his face turned from all sorrowful and hurt, to black and suspicious.

"It's Niall, isn't it?!" He spat across the table. "He opens his fat trap and you listen! When are you going to start thinking for yourself?!"

I was stunned. In actual fact, Niall kept his trap shut for four years. He made it clear that he didn't like Nicholas, but it never interfered with our friendship. I just kept them apart. He never tried to influence me. He was just there, like a true friend, when things went tits up and they did often.

I pulled my hand from under his and took another calming sip of my wine. He didn't deserve my time. He wasted four years of it already, and I was damned if he was robbing me of any more. I couldn't believe I had dropped Louis for that.

"Are you not going to say anything?!" He hissed, his eyes beady and harboring all sorts of contempt. It made me boil a little on the inside. I managed to retain my temper.

"Nick, I've said all I've got to say. Was that all you dragged me here for?" I asked and he recoiled, his eyebrows hitting his hairline.

"You're not prepared to give it another try?"

"No!" I replied simply, making the easiest decision of my life. He jumped up from the table in a temper, knocking his drink over in the process.

"You'll need me before I need you." He warned and I laughed in his face.

"I'll need you?!" I gathered my hysteria. "Yeah, that's why you're here begging me to come back and I've told you where to go! What's the matter, Nick?! Ran out of birds to shag?!" I watched as he rearranged his cheap black suit and straightened his brown floppy hair.

_Funny, I don't find him attractive anymore. Actually, he makes my skin crawl. What did I ever see in him? He was a habit, that's all he was, a very bad habit._

"I knew it!" Niall's high pitched screech made my shoulders tense. "I knew you were seeing him!" I turned and saw his pretty pale face bright red with anger.

"Oh, he's come to join the party!" Nick shot over my head. "You just can't keep your fucking nose out, can you?"

I glanced around the bar and noticed that people were starting to stare at the little exchange going on, their attention drawn by Nick's flying pint glass.

If I got the opportunity, I would save Niall the wasted breath and tell him exactly what just happened but I supposed, after four years of keeping his fat trap shut, I should let him have his moment. Niall strolled up to him, all confident and cocky, Nick's lips were curled into a snarl as he got up close and personal with the blonde.

"Harry doesn't want you, you useless sack of shit!" His tone was controlled and penetrating. "He's got someone else, so go and crawl back into the hole you came from." I watched as Nick flicked his eyes to me for confirmation, but I didn't offer any. He hissed and spat a few times before stomping out of the bar.

Niall plonked himself in the chair opposite me, narrowing his bright blue eyes on me and I was immediately on the defense.

"He said he wasn't okay, I thought someone had died!" I tried explaining and he shook his head.

"I'm really mad with you..." He murmured and I scoffed, grabbing my wine for a welcome slurp.

"I'm mad at myself, I didn't need you to say that. Why did you say that?" I asked and he grinned.

"Because it was funny. Did you see his face?"

It was a classic but still, he was throwing around statements that were simply not true. I haven't got anyone else, I was fucking someone else. There was a big difference.

My phone started ringing, and I fished it from my bag, finding call number eleven from Louis.

"Who's that?" Niall asked, cocking his head up so he could get a glimpse of the screen.

"Louis..." I said and he frowned.

"Aren't you going to answer?" I leaned back in my chair, letting it ring off.

"I canceled him to meet Nick..." I grumbled and Niall's jaw dropped open.

"Harry, you really are very dim at times and don't take this personally, but when you were with Nick, you dialed down the fun factor so much, I was considering breaking up with you!" He said and I recoiled at his speech.

"That's a bit harsh, isn't it?!" I joked and he laughed.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does..."

"You've been dragged through the mill good and proper, so I'm willing to let it go." He leaned forward. "Have some fun and anyway, I like him!"

_Well, he made that pretty obvious, and Louis is fun. But I know this can only end in tears._

A member of staff approached with a dustpan and brushed, and I offered a small apologetic smile, but I was distracted when my phone started to shout. I ignored it again.

I needed time to think about it. I was so overwhelmed the last day, I let a firm chest, hypnotizing voice and soft lush lips derailing my cognitive thinking. Every time I was with that man, I was derailed and distracted. He overwhelmed me with his intensity, knocking all rationality right out of me.

"Hello, hotty at three o'clock! Oh, and he's looking. How's my hair? Have I got any icing on my face?" Niall started frantically brushing his cheeks with his palms.

I turned to three o'clock and saw the guy from the bar at The Manor, Sam. He had a big smile on his cheeky face as he rose his bottle of beer to me. I rose my hand and turned back to Niall.

"You know him?!" He asked incredulously.

"Sam, he was at The Manor. He's a friend of Louis'."

"Fucking hell! Louis is a member of the hot gang!" He giggled, his eyes widening with excitement. "Why have I never heard of this place?" He asked. "I'm coming to your next site visit!" He said determinedly and I knew he was not joking. "Hey, he's coming over. Introduce me, please!" I shook my head at him.

_It's one more first date for him to get his teeth into. Wait, I suddenly panic. Did he see me with Nick? Hang on, why am I worried about that?_

"Hi, Harry, how are you?" Sam reached the table, still smiling and flashing that dimple. He really was very cute, with his unkempt hair and twinkling eyes. He was in jeans and a t-shirt again so casual should really be his thing.

"I'm good, Sam, you?" I finished my wine off. I could do with another, but Patrick wouldn't appreciate me returning to the office half pissed. "Been here long?" I asked casually.

"No, just got here. How's Louis?" He enquired on a grin.

I felt my face blush, even though I had reached the swift conclusion that he was playing with me since he was Louis' mate so he should know how he was. I shrugged because I really didn't know what to say, and, in actual fact, I had no idea how Louis was because I didn't turn up for our appointment. When I left him the day before, he was firing on all sexual cylinders and I was panting like a desperate, wanton loser. That day, I expected, he was slightly irate that I canceled our meeting.

_Ha! What's he going to do? Sack me? He probably should. It will save me all of this brain ache and turmoil._

I felt a sharp crack on my shin and looked up to see Niall scowling at me.

"Oh, Sam, this is Niall. Niall, meet Sam." I waved my hand between the two of them, watching as Niall turned all angelic, putting his hand out to Sam, who grinned before clasping it.

"Nice to meet you, Niall." He said smoothly, maintaining his grin and running his free hand through his mousey waves.

"You too." He arched a brow, flirting with him.

Niall giggled as Sam complimented him on his wild, blonde hair, their hands still linked. My phone declared a text and, to escape the blatant flirting exchange going on in front of me, I picked it up and opened the message with one eye closed.

**There better be a GOOD fucking reason for you standing me up. Someone had better be dying. I'm going out of my fucking mind, young man. NO KISS**

_Ah, he's worried!_

My heart did an unexpected skip of approval, but then I snapped myself out of my pathetic bubble of contentment, reminding myself that I was not answerable to him. He certainly liked compliance. Besides, I didn't stand him up, I delayed a business meeting. My poor bloody brain felt like it could explode, not understanding what was happening to me.

I put my phone on the table and looked up to see Niall performing the best flirting act I had ever witnessed. He was being such a tart and their hands were still clasped. He dragged his attention away from Sam to look at me.

"Louis?" He asked unashamedly and I kicked him under the table, feeling Sam's eyes on me.

"Louis?" Sam asked. "He just called. He'll be here in a minute."

Niall started laughing like a hyena, earning him another boot under the table.

"I'd better be off!" I went to stand. "Niall..." I smiled sweetly as he got his laughter under control. "Haven't you got a two-thirty appointment?"

"Nope." He smiled back, trumping my sweetness level.

_He's a pain in the fucking arse._

I narrowed my eyes at him, picking up my bag and phone.

"Well, I'll see you later then. It was nice to see you again, Sam." I said and he released Niall's hand to kiss me on the cheek.

"Yeah, and you, Harry. Keep it real."

I turned to leave but swang back around, all straight-faced and cool.

"Oh, Niall. Liam's back next week." I tossed it into the air like a grenade and waited for the explosion. It took just a nanosecond for his jaw to drop, like a huge lump of lead, to the table.

I flung him a don't-mess-with-me look and turned on my shoes with immense satisfaction. My smugness was short lived, though. Louis was standing behind me, glaring at me like a rabid dog. I shrank on the spot.

"Who's dead?" He barked, sounding really mad.

"I was at work..." I defended myself nervously and he scowled at me, good and proper.

"And that renders you incapable of answering your phone, does it?" His voice was dripping with displeasure.

I turned and found Niall and Sam silently observing our little altercation. Niall started looking anywhere and everywhere but our direction and Sam struggled to regain control of his raised eyebrows, doing a really rubbish job of looking uninterested. I sighed, turning back to Louis, who still looked like he was about to hit something.

"I have to get back to work..." I said, sidestepping him and leaving the bar. It was beyond an overreaction and dangerously in the realms of controlling and manipulating. Neither of which I wanted.

I walked out onto Piccadilly and into the lunchtime crowd, knowing he was following me, I could feel his penetrating blue eyes stabbing at my back.

As I turned into Berkeley Street, the crowd thinned out, and I glanced back, finding him stalking behind me, his eyes full of fury. He did look delicious in his charcoal suit and pale blue shirt, though. I huffed to myself and increased my pace. If I could make it to my office, I would be safe from his wrath.

_There's no way he would cause a scene at my office, would he? He didn't seem to give two hoots about scolding me in front of Niall and Sam. Can I risk it? The man's so volatile. Why is he behaving like this, anyway? I've only had sex with the guy, not married him._

I quickened my pace, making it through the office door, but no sooner had I got to my desk, I was hauled from my feet on a squeal, and I was on my way back out.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?!" I shouted at him, but he ignored me, carrying on with his long even strides out of my office. I braced my hands at the bottom of his back and looked up to see Tom, Victoria and Sally, all gawping at me being manhandled into the street. "Louis, fucking hell! Put me down now!"

He let me slide down his front, purposely slow so I could feel every hard muscle of his delicious chest, stopping me before my feet hit the ground. He held me around my waist so my lips were level with his, his blatant erection rubbing me in just the right spot.

_He's mad and turned on?_

 


	16. ღ XVI.

A treacherous moan escaped my lips as he pushed himself against me, breathing his hot, minty breath on my lips. I was supposed to be bloody mad but, instead, I was being held against my will and wanting to strip my captor in front of all of my colleagues, who were all squished at the office door, fighting for the best view.

"Mouth. You stood me up." He pressed his lips to mine before he pulled away, his sludgy eyes softening as he looked at me expectantly.

I could hardly tell him why I canceled, I imagined he was going to go up the wall.

"I'm sorry..." I sighed.

_Will he accept that?_

I needed to get back into the office and sort my head out. I needed to go home and sort my head out, preferably with a bottle of wine.

He shook his head mildly and then he attacked my mouth purposely, right in the middle of Bruton Street. My fingers threaded through his hair as I surrendered to his impossibly addictive mouth, without much thought at all. He was unashamed and oblivious to the hustle and bustle of lunchtime pedestrians passing and, quite probably, staring as he completely consumed me. He swallowed me up every time. He thrust his groin forward aggressively, coaxing a moan to escape my mouth.

That was a look-what-you-missed kiss, and I was beginning to damn Nick to Hell.

"Don't do it again." He ordered, in a tone that dared me to challenge him. He released me from his grip and my feet hit the ground, the loss of support causing me to stagger forward.

He grabbed the top of my arm to steady me, causing a slight stab of pain to radiate through me, snapping me out of my spellbound state on a sharp inhale. He dropped my arm and stood back from me, his soft eyes raging and focused on the scatter of bruises at the top of my arm, courtesy of Mister Baldy Jag. His jaw started ticking, his chest puffing, as he stared at my arm.

All I could think about was how lucky Mister Baldy Jag was that those bruises weren't present when he was around.

"I'm fine..." I covered my arm with my palm in the hope that concealing the offending area would snap him out of his fuming state. He looked positively homicidal. "I need to get back to work..." My voice was small, nervous even.

He dragged his stare from my arm, back to my eyes, looking at me like I was the offending object. A flash of irritation passed over his handsome face as he reached up to rub his temples with his fingertips, in an obvious sign of stress.

He eventually shook his head lightly and stalked off, without another word, leaving me standing on the pavement wondering what in the world just happened. I looked down to the ground, my eyes darting about like I would find the answer written in chalk on the slabs.

_Is that it? Is it over? The look on his face said it is. I'm not sure how I feel about that. One second he's thrusting his hips into me on a moan, the next he's looking at me in pure irritation. What am I supposed to make of this? I really don't know._

I shook myself out of my reverie and headed back into the office. The silence was awkward, everyone obviously pretending to look busy.

"You okay?" Tom asked, slowly passing my desk. I looked up, seeing his usual nosey expression was dotted with concern.

"I'm fine. Not a word to Patrick." It came out harsher than I intended.

"Of course, I'll say no more." He held his hands up in defense.

_Fuck! All I need is Patrick to find out that I'm caught up with a client. I should have been stronger and resisted his advances. I'm really not very comfortable with how I feel right now. I think...I think it's somewhere in the realms of...abandonment?_

**ººº**

I practically crawled through the front door in an exhausted heap. I found Niall in the kitchen, hanging out of the window having a cheeky fag.

"You need to pack that in!" I scorned him. He didn't smoke much, just a couple time to time, but it was a bad habit, nevertheless.

He took the last drag and threw it out of the window before hastily climbing down from the worktop.

"It helps me think!" He defended himself, claiming what he always did whenever I caught him having a sneaky puff.I was supposed to ask what he was thinking about, but I already knew the answer to that question."Where's the wine?" He grabbed my bag from me, pulling it open, before looking at me in disgust like if I had just committed a cardinal sin by forgetting the wine.

"Sorry..." I shrugged.

"I'll go to the shop while you get changed. Fish and chips?" He grabbed his bag from the table as he shoved his feet in his shoes.

"Just chips." I made my way down the hall to my bedroom, feeling completely deflated.

**ººº**

I sat with Niall on the couch, picking at the chips on my plate, having absolutely no appetite, and I was only half watching the re-run of Friends.My mind was all over the place, and I was so furious with myself for letting it be.

"Come on then, spit it out!" Niall demanded and I turned to face my fiery friend with a chip halfway to my mouth. I was an idiot if I thought I could get away with modding in peace. I gave him a noncommittal shrug, popping the chip in my mouth and chewing lazily. Talking about it would only emphasize the fact that I was actually modding over the man. "You like him."

"He's bad news. You saw him today." I grumbled. He made a dramatic display of rolling his eyes and throwing himself back on the sofa.

"You stood him up for your ex-boyfriend!" He put his plate on the coffee table in front of the sofa. "Harry, what did you expect?!" I frowned at him.

"He didn't know why I stood him up. As far as he's concerned, I just stood him up."

"Well, he doesn't like being stood up then, does he?" He laughed. "Oh, by the way, I'm seething with you." He turned all serious.

_What have I done? Oh, yes. He must be talking about my little Liam grenade._

"Would you have preferred it if I hadn't told you?" I asked.

"You've not left me much time to leave town!" He wailed at me.

"You're overreacting. You don't have to see him."

"No, I don't. And I won't!"

"That's okay then, isn't it?" I went for the subject change. "Sam?" I rose my eyebrows.

"Isn't he yummy? Louis came back to the bar, with a face like thunder, by the way, so I left them to it. He took my number."

"You're a tart, Niall Horan!"

"I know!" He shrieked. "How were things left with the Lord?" He looked at me carefully, weighing up my reaction to his question.

"He was still mad, he stormed off..." I shrugged and he smiled.

"He's pretty intense." He commented and I started laughing.

"Pretty? I lose all cognitive thought when I'm around him. When he touches me, it's like I hand over all control of my mind and body to him. It's frightening."

"Wow!"

"Yes, it's pretty wow."

He turned back to the television.

"I like him..." He said quietly, almost like he was afraid to admit it as if it was wrong to like him. "I'm just saying." He shrugged but didn't look at me. "He's rich, steaming hot and obviously well into you. A man doesn't behave like that when he's just fucking about, Harry."

That could be so, but it didn't change the fact that he was cleared off and my phone hadn't rung since. It was probably a good thing.

"Do you fancy a proper night out on Saturday?" I asked.

It was a stupid question that I already knew the answer to. The look he fired me was mischievous and I grinned back at him.

**ººº**

The next day, I breezed into the Royal Park hotel at twelve fifteen, all set for my appointment with Mikael Van Der Haus. I was directed into a snug sitting area with plush sofas. Gilded frames swamp the walls and a carved fireplace dominated the room, typically regal. I was offered tea which I declined in favor of water.

It was bloody hot and my black pencil suit was clinging to me.

Twenty minutes later, Mister Van Der Haus entered looking impeccable. He was really very handsome. He smiled brightly at me, revealing a perfect row of white teeth and I hastily bat away my wayward thoughts about older men.

"Harry, please accept my apologies. I never like to keep a gentleman waiting." His mild Danish accent was only just detectable but really sexy.

I rose from my seat as he approached, putting my hand out to him with a smile. He took my hand but shocked me when he leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek.

_Okay, that's slightly inappropriate, but I'll go with it. Maybe it's a Danish thing. Ha! I would do well to remember what happened that last time a male client kissed me on a first meeting._

"Mister Van Der Haus, it's not a problem. I've not long arrived myself." I assured him.

"Harry, this is our second project together. I know you dealt with my partner on Lusso, but I will be involved in The Life Building a lot more, so please, call me Mikael, I hate formality." He took a seat in the chair opposite to me, crossing his long legs. "So, I'm looking forward to going through ideas with you soon."

"Yes, I haven't really had the opportunity to research the development yet. I was hoping you would give me a brief and a week to get some ideas rolling."

"Of course!" He laughed. "I'm being very rude dragging you here at such short notice but I'm flying back to Denmark on Friday. I have your email, I shall send you the specific requirements. You did such a good job at Lusso, it really does lighten the pressure when you work with proficient people." He smiled.

"We could have a quick chat now..." I prompted, wondering if it wasn't for that that I was there.

He sat for a while, regarding me quietly, before leaning forward in his chair.

"Harry, I hope you don't think I'm being audacious, you see... well, how can I put it?" He drummed his fingers on his chin, making me a little worried. "I'm afraid I've brought you here under false pretenses." He laughed nervously, shifting in his chair.

"Oh, how so?" I asked baffled and then it hit me. I leaned back in my chair, instantly tensing from top to toe and mentally begged the Lord Almighty to talk some sense into him before he said what I thought he was going to say.

"I would like to ask you to join me for dinner." He looked at me expectantly, and I was sure my face would resemble that of complete horror as I started burning up. "Tomorrow evening, if it's convenient with you, of course." He added.

_Shit! What do I say? If I say no, he might withdraw his business from Rococo Union, and Patrick will go spare. What is it with men suddenly falling at my feet? Older men in particular? He's way past Louis in terms of age. At least, I think he is. He's very good looking, but good God, he's got to be twenty years older than me. At least he hasn't got me locked in a suite upstairs. How do I play this?_

"Mister Van Der Haus..."

"Mikael, please." He interrupted me with a smile.

"Mikael, I'm not sure mixing business with pleasure is a good idea. It's kind of a rule for me but I'm very flattered." I laughed at my own audacity.

_Since when has that been an issue of late? And why did I say pleasure? I've assumed, and suggested, that it would be pleasurable to have dinner with him. It might not be, or it very well could be. Oh, God!_

I mentally threw myself into the lovely fireplace.

"Oh, that is a shame, Harry..." He sighed.

"Yes, it is." I agreed, relaunching myself back into the earth when he looked up in surprise, leaning forward.

"I admire your professionalism."

"Thank you..." I started bloody blushing again.

"I hope this won't affect our business relationship, Harry. I very much look forward to working with you."

"I'm looking forward to working with you too, Mikael."

He lifted himself from the couch, approaching me with his hand stretched out. I took it, letting him gently shake it.

"I shall endeavor to email you at my earliest opportunity. Once I return from Denmark, I would like to show you around the building. Until then, you can draft some schemes. I've had the drawings sent to your office, and I'll email you the specifics."

"Thank you, Mikael. Enjoy your trip."

"Goodbye, Harry." His long legs took him out of the snug.

That was uncomfortable, especially because he could have had called to tell me that.

I sat and finished my water while deliberating over my current emotional turmoil. If Louis was as gracious as Mikael, then I wouldn't be feeling so shitty. Never mixing business and pleasure was never a rule because I never had to make one. In the space of two weeks, I had two wealthy and very handsome clients pursuing me. One I've declined, the other I've caved in on, and, as a result, I was all over the place. Not mixing business and pleasure was, from then on, a firm rule and one I intended to stick to. Not that I needed to reinforce it. Mikael took my decline rather graciously and Louis didn't call since abandoning me.

By two thirty, I was back in the office. I didn't mention to Patrick the strangeness of my meeting with Mikael Van Der Haus, mainly because I was concerned that, in the name of the business, he would demand I went to dinner with him. Patrick would assume it would be a business dinner, but Mikael made it perfectly clear that there would be no business involved. Instead, I just mentioned emails, drawings and his intention to show me the building upon his return from Denmark. That seemed to keep him happy.

I got my phone from my bag, noting there were no missing calls. I ignored the pang of disappointment and started making a few notes on Scandinavian design. I knew I would be basing my design around clean, white, easy living, but I was comforted by the fact that it would be tranquil and warm, not sparse and cold.

My phone rang and I grabbed it, way too hastily but saw it was just Niall.

"Hi." I greeted in an over the top, chirpy voice.

 **"Faking detachment, are we?"** He asked.

"Yes..."

**"I thought so. Have you not heard from him?"**

"No..."

**"Liking monosyllables today, huh?"**

"Yes..."

He sighed heavily down the phone.

**"Whatever. Have you asked Victoria and Tom if they're up for Saturday night?"**

"No, but I will, though. I've just got back from a very strange meeting." I opened my top drawer to grab a paperclip, noticing the calla lily squished down the side of my stapler.

 **"Strange how?"** He asked intrigued.

"I went to meet the developer of Lusso, well, one of them. He asked me to dinner. It was really uncomfortable." I grabbed the lily and chucked it in the bin quickly while Niall laughed down the phone at me.

**"How old is this one?"**

I bristled at his insinuation. He was much older than Louis, how much older was still unknown, but he was definitely older. I would probably never know, though.

"Mid-forties I guess, but extremely handsome, in a Scandinavian kinda way." I shrugged to myself while guiding my mouse aimlessly around the screen. He was nowhere near Louis' league, but he was handsome, nonetheless.

**"You're like a mature man magnet at the moment. Are you going?"**

"No!" I screeched. "Why would I?"

 **"Why not?"**  I couldn't see him, but I knew he had a questioning eyebrow arched.

"No, I can't, because I have a new rule... No mixing business with pleasure."

 **"MOVE!"**  He screamed, making me jump at my desk.  **"Sorry, some prat just cut me up. No mixing business with pleasure, ah?"**

"Yes. Are you driving and talking on your mobile, Mister Horan?" I challenged him, knowing Margo didn't have a hands free kit.

**"Yeah, I'd better beat feet. See you at home. And don't forget to tell Tom and Victoria the plans for Saturday."**

"What are the plans?" I blurted before he hung up.

**"Get drunk, Baroque, eight o'clock."**

_Get drunk. Yes, that's a very good plan._

**ººº**

I left the office at six with Tom and Victoria.

"Saturday night, guys?"

Tom stopped abruptly, dramatically putting his palms out with a shocked expression on his smooth baby face.

"Oh my God, yes! I brought the most amazing coral shirt at lunchtime. It's divine!" Victoria giggled, slapping his arse to push him onwards. "Where are we going?" He asked.

"Baroque at eight!" I answered. "We'll see where the night takes us."

"I'm in!" Victoria sang at me. "But no joints, Tom. It's my turn to pull." She grumbled and Tom frowned.

"What about me?"

"You've had your feed. It's my turn!" She spat. "Besides, what about the scientist?"

"You know, science is actually very boring." He grumbled.

We said our goodbyes at Green Park Station. I took Jubilee to Central, while Victoria and Tom hop on Piccadilly.


	17. ღ XVII.

"Morning..." I sounded like a miserable cow, but I was trying really hard not to be.

Tom looked up from his copy of Interiors Weekly and lowered his glasses to the end of his nose.

"Darling, why the long face?" He asked and I couldn't even muster up the energy to plaster on a fake smile. I slumped in my chair and Tom sprawled across my desk, like mature ivy, within a second. "Here, this will cheer you up!"

He presented me with a feature in the magazine he was reading and there, sat casually on the velvet chaise lounge at Lusso, was me.

"Wonderful..." I sighed, not even bothering to read it. I needed to eradicate all things relating to Lusso from my mind.

"Man trouble?" He gave me a look of sympathy.

No, not man trouble, there was no man to be having trouble with. I knew it would be the last time I saw him. When he stalked off, I knew deep down that I wouldn't see him again. I had not been checking my phone every ten minutes, I had not been modding over it and I was not twiddling my hair as I thought of it. I reluctantly admitted that I really missed him. How ridiculous. He was a rebound fuck.

"I'm fine..." I found the strength to slap a smile on my face. "It's Friday, I'm looking forward to getting plastered tomorrow night." I needed a good night out.

"Are we really getting plastered? Fabulous!"

My attention was turned to the office entrance when I heard the high pitched screech of Victoria.

"Oh...my...God! You will not believe what I just saw!" She was on the verge of passing out. Tom and I both looked at her blankly.

"What?" We asked in unison.

"So, I was in Starbucks, waiting for my double shot cappuccino with extra chocolate, and this guy walks in! I recognized him from somewhere but I was not sure where, but he was one hot piece of man. Anyway, he's just stood there, minding his own, and this woman comes strutting in and tips a frappuccino all over him!" She paused to draw breath. "So, the woman starts screaming at him, calling him a lying selfish arsehole, and then just walks out, leaving him dripping in frozen coffee and cream. It was all very dramatic."

I sat and watched as Victoria recovered from her two breath commentary about the happenings of Starbucks on a Friday morning.

Nothing like that ever happened when I was in there.

"It sounds like someone's been a naughty boy!" Tom smirked. "How hot was he?" I rolled my eyes.

No doubt Tom would have flown to his rescue.

"We're talking Men's Vogue!" Victoria's hand came up in front of her, palms forward.

"No!" Tom took his glasses off. "Is he still there?"

"No."

Patrick came barrelling into the office.

"Guys, do we have any work to do, or is it fart around Friday?" He passed us swiftly, heading into his office and shutting the door behind him.

"You two, let's get on with some work, shall we?" I shooed them away from my desk.

"Oh, I forgot!" Tom swung around. "Van Der Haus called to say he'll be back in London on Monday. He'll call you upon his return. He's emailing you the specifics and had these sent over. Is he hot?" His eyebrows jumped up suggestively as he handed me an envelope.

"Very." I took the drawings, widening my eyes for effect.

"How come you get all the dishy clients?" He walked back to his desk. "What I wouldn't give to have an Adonis walk in here and throw me over his shoulder."

I winced at Tom's referral to Louis' performance the last time I saw him and pulled my phone out of my bag when it started beeping with a calendar reminder for my hairdresser's appointment, the next day at noon which I had I forgot about. Well, that had improved my mood slightly and I would be nicely groomed for our big night out. Perfect.

I worked my way through heaps of quotations, delivery schedules, and contractor requirements before calling my live clients to check all was well. It was, apart from Mister Peters swags and tails drama. An email landed from Mikael and I scanned it quickly, deciding to look at it in more detail on Monday.

Sally came scuttling up to my desk with a delivery.

"Urm...I think this may be for you, Harry!" She shifted from side to side with a box in her hand. "Do you want it?"

_What? Yes, I want it. If it's a delivery for me, then I guess I want it. Oh, this girl is painfully anxious._

I took the box from her hands.

"Thank you, Sally. Will you make Patrick a coffee?"

"I didn't know he wanted one..."

The panic on her face had me wanting to make her a coffee.

"Well, he doesn't look right, let's look after him."

"Is he okay? He's not ill, is he?"

"No, but I think he could do with a coffee..." I pressed, trying my hardest not to lose my patience.

"Of course." She scuttled off, her brown plaid skirt swishing around her court shoes. I couldn't even hazard a guess at her age. She looked about forty, but intuition told me she would shock me and be nearer my age.

I opened the box and found all of the material swatches I ordered for The Life Building. I threw the box under my desk, deciding to deal with it on Monday only.

As six o'clock approached, I popped my head around Patrick's door, seeing he really didn't look right.

"Patrick, I'm off. Are you okay?" I said and he looked up from his computer and smiled, but his eyes didn't sparkle like usual.

"I'm just feeling a little peaky, flower."

"You should go home..." I said, worried.

"I think I will..." He heaved his big body up from behind his desk and turned his computer off. "Bloody woman's fed me something dodgy." He muttered as he picked up his briefcase.

"Everything's been turned off. You just need to set the alarm."

"That's good. Have a good weekend, flower. I'll see you on Monday." He wiped the back of his hand over his sweating brow.

"Okay, see you on Monday..."

**ººº**

I stood in my bedroom ready to go. My hair was behaving and the new suit I picked up was a panic buy to make me feel better but fitted perfectly. It was black and very tight with dramatic, smudged eyes and nude lips, I was looking pretty sultry. 

I walked into the kitchen, finding Niall hanging out of the window having a sneaky fag.

_What's he thinking about now? He looks his usual lovely self, in a cream backless suit._

"Wow!" He blurted. "Someone's out to impress tonight." He jumped down from the worktop, slipping his feet into his gold shoes. "Here!" He handed me a glass of wine and I took it gratefully, pretty much necking it. "The taxi's here!"

I dumped my empty glass on the side and followed Niall out to the taxi. I was looking forward to my recovery night but ignoring the fact that my recovery night was to recover from a few steamy encounters with a steamy male, and not to recover from the breakdown of my four-year relationship with Nick. It was ironic. I never felt the need to go out and get steaming drunk after my break up with Nick.

We walked into Baroque, spotting Tom and Victoria at the bar immediately.

"What the hell?!" Tom exclaimed, running his eyes up and down my black-clad body on a grin as I took my jacket off. "Harry, you look lethal!"

"Really good, Harry!" Victoria added.

"Thanks..." I shrugged, pulling the hem of my shirt down.

"What are you having?" Niall asked.

Well, I already had a glass of wine, so I guess I should stick. I did say I was going to have a good drink.

"Rose, but make sure it's Zinfandel, please."

Niall ordered the drinks and we made our way to a tall table near the DJ. Tom was wearing his new coral shirt and too tight jeans, and Victoria looked as pretty as always. Seemed like everyone made an effort, including me, for some reason.

As the wine flowed down, my troubled thoughts flowed away. We were laughing and chatting, and I was beginning to feel normal again. I felt footloose and fancy-free, remembering my mum always saying 'Alcohol makes for loose lips and loose lips sink ships'. That, I discovered, was most certainly true because I was totally lit up, and I've filled everyone in on recent events. Considering I wanted to forget about it, I was doing a bloody good job of hanging onto the memories. Tom was thrilled about all of the rebound sex I've had.

"So, he just stalked off and you haven't seen him since?" He asked critically and Victoria piped up.

"That's really uncool."

Niall rolled his eyes, looking at the pair like they were a sandwich short of a picnic.

"Isn't it obvious?" He huffed. Tom and Victoria looked at each other, then to me and I shrugged. "You lot are dense." Niall shook his head. "It's simple... Louis wants him. No man behaves like that over a quick screw. I've told you this, Harry."

"Why would he disappear then?" Victoria leaned in, truly captivated by Niall's explanation of Louis' behavior.

"I don't know! I'm just saying. I've witnessed the chemistry and it's way off the scales." Niall flopped back on his tall chair in complete exasperation and I laughed, not sure if it was too much wine, but that was just funny.

"It doesn't matter. He was a rebound fuck and that's it." My explanation didn't seem to satisfy because they all carried on studying me with doubtful looks on their faces.

I didn't even think I was satisfied with my explanation, but it had been four days and I resisted the overwhelming temptation to call him. Besides, he hadn't called me or made any further appointments, so that pretty much said it all. I decided I was moving on. I was just massively pissed off with myself for relenting to his persistence, putting him in the position to drop me and he had.

"Oh, can we change the subject, please?!" I snapped. "I'm out to enjoy myself, not to analyze the details of my rebound fuck!"

"You know, everything happens for a reason..." Tom stirred his pina colada.

"Oh, don't start with all that airy-fairy crap!" Niall chided him.

"It does! I'm a firm believer in it. Your rebound fuck is a stepping stone to the love of your life." He winked at me.

"And Nick was a four-year stepping stone!" Niall pointed out.

"To stepping stones!" Tom sang and Niall joined the toast. "And shots!" I finished my wine and rose my glass in agreement. "Yes, shots!" Tom shouted, dancing off to the bar.

We swayed down the road to our next destination, The Blue Bar. We made it past the doormen, although one did eye Tom's shirt suspiciously. Tom and Victoria charged for the dance floor when they heard Flo Rida and Sia singing about Wild Ones, leaving Niall and me to get the drinks.

I ordered one round and took Tom and Victoria's over, putting them on a ledge nearby under their instruction. The dancing was that serious so it could take some time. When I joined Niall back at the bar, he was talking to a man, a total stranger. I could tell because he was notched up his flirting by a few gears. As I approached, he rose his voice over the music.

"Harry, this is Greg!" Niall said and I smiled, putting my hand out politely. He looked normal enough.

"Hi, nice to meet you!"

"Yeah, and you. This is my mate, Alex." He signaled to a cute, dark-haired guy next to him.

"Hi!" I shouted and he smiled confidently.

"You wanna drink?"

"No, thanks, I've just got one."

Rule number one: Never accept drinks from strangers. Liam drilled it into me since I started going out.

"Nah problem!" He shrugged.

Niall and Greg moved away from us, leaving me and Alex to make conversation. I didn't really want that since I came out to be rid of men in general and I've been lumbered with one.

"What do ya do?" Alex asked me.

"Interior design, you?"

"Estate agent."

I inwardly groaned, having an aversion to estate agents as they were cocky, overconfident, gold plated salesmen. Alex was all of those, with the added bonus of a dodgy cockney accent.

"Nice..." I said because he was just lost all of my interest, not that there was any in the first place.  

"Yeah, got myself a few grand bonus taday. Give me a shit pit and I'll sell it, nah problem. I'm living it large in Landon and laving it. Ya fancy going out samtime?"

"Thanks, but I'm in a relationship..." 

It was a good job Cockney didn't know me and my bad habit because I was twiddling my hair frantically.

"Ya sure?" He asked, inching closer and stroking my arm. I pulled away, planning my escape.

"Positive..." I smiled sweetly, looking around for Niall.

Within the space of time it took me to raise my glass to my lips, Cockney quickly disappeared from my line of vision. It took me a few seconds to piece together the events that were unfolding before my eyes, but when I did, I was appalled.

Louis had Cockney in a firm grip around his neck and pinned up against a pillar.


	18. ღ XVIII.

"Keep your fucking hands to yourself!" Louis snarled at a poor, startled Cockney.

He didn't know what hit him and I felt bad because he was only trying his luck. I would have dealt with it. I didn't even know where Louis came from. It was all I needed on my night out, supposedly free from arrogant men. Or not so, it would appear. He left me for four days wondering what happened, and he just turned up, out of the blue, raging like a wild bull. 

"I'm sorry mate. I didn't mean any offense! Your boyfriend and I were just chatting about shit, ya know." Cockney explained, completely panicked.

I wanted to advise poor cockney that I was not even the boyfriend of the maniac pinning him up by his throat but judging by Louis' obvious mood, I would decline at the risk of pissing him off further.

"Louis, let go of him, he wasn't doing anything!"

Cockney looked at me gratefully and I was pretty sure he knew I was stretching the truth. A few more seconds and I was sure I would have been throwing a drink over him. I gently stroked Louis' arm in an attempt to calm him down, ignoring his warm firmness. He looked like he could explode with anger and I was pissed, thinking how he dared to turn up and trample all over my recovery night.

"What's going on?" Niall arrived next to me.

"Nothing!" I snapped. "Louis, let him go!" I said again and he didn't appear to be listening.

I wasn't really sure what I was supposed to do with that. I didn't want to see him and I was feeling derailed already considering he hadn't even looked at me. I could hardly walk away and leave poor Cockney to bear the brunt of Louis' unjustified rage. 

I was beyond relieved when Sam turned up on the scene.

"Sam, please sort your twat of a friend out!" I turned towards Niall. "Come on."

Niall's eyes lighted up like The Blackpool Illuminations at Sam's unexpected arrival. I heard Sam calmly coaxing Louis from Cockneys throat as I dragged Niall away, heading for the dance floor.

"What was all that about?" He asked.

"Don't. What happened to Greg?"

"He was a total dick. Come on, let's dance."

Tom and Victoria welcomed us with waving arms as we joined them on the dance floor. I was  _thrown off guard by Louis turning up._

_Is this a coincidence, or did he know I would be here? How could he know? I was having a great night, not having thought about him for at least an hour. That's a record for the last four days. Damn it!_

I pushed Louis out of my mind and soon let The Source & Candi Staton take me to a better place.

After half an hour and a string of some great tracks, I hadn't seen or heard from Louis. Sam probably ejected him or maybe the doormen did. Either way, I was free to resume the great night it had been up until Louis crashed in. I signaled to Niall that I was going to the toilet, smiling when he acknowledged with a shimmy and a laugh.

As I exited the cubicle, I checked my phone to find ten missed calls from Louis.

_What? Oh, he's angry all right. But what on earth has he got to be mad about? Any pangs of Louis withdrawal have been extinguished by his unreasonable behavior. Who does he think he is? I don't dwell on it, though._

I cleared the missed calls, making my way back to the dance floor, only to find the others making their way to the bar.

"Drink!"' Tom clenched his throat in an exaggerated signal of thirst.

As I waited for Victoria to get served, a wave of unease washed over me, and I knew he was still there. She handed me my drink, her mouth gaping open.

"Oh...my...God!" She said as I took my wine.

"What?"

"That guy, the one in Starbucks I was telling you about!" She explained, nodding over my shoulder. "There he is! I told you he was yummy."

I turned in the direction of Victoria's stare and found her looking at Sam but that was not what caught my attention. Every fine air on the back of my neck prickled when I saw Louis leaning against the very pillar he had poor Cockney pinned up against, not an hour ago. His severe stare was piercing me, while Sam and the other guy from The Manor, Drew, were busy chatting and drinking. Louis was not engaging in the conversation, though. No, he was standing there looking as angry as he did earlier, drilling holes right into me. Victoria's information suddenly filtered into my brain and I turned back to her.

"What happened?"

She looked vague as she handed drinks to Niall and Tom. They accepted, swiftly returning to the floor.

"What happened where?" She asked on a frown and I rolled my eyes.

"Starbucks, what happened?"

"Oh!" She got back in the game. "She just walked in, started screaming and shouting, and lobbed a coffee over the poor bloke."

"What did she say?"

"Oh, I can't remember. She called him a selfish, cheating something or other." She flipped casually. "Hey, he's with the guy who hoofed you out of the office."

"Yeah, listen, keep that to yourself, okay?" I asked and she frowned at me.

"What?"

"I mean the flying coffee and while we're at it, not a word to Patrick about the hoofing either."

"Whatever. Oh, I love this song. Harry, come on." She shrugged.

I watched as Victoria danced her way back through the crowd, but I couldn't move as I could feel his eyes burning into my back. I knew I should just walk away, but the magnet effect he had on me, set me turning towards him instead. He had his phone in his hand and he waved it in the air in a kind of look gesture, so I did. I got my phone from my pocket and not so much to my surprise, Louis' name was illuminating my screen. I glanced back up, seeing him put his phone to his ear,wanting me to answer it.

The loud music around me faded out into a dull base, pulsing in my ears, and the hum of laughing and chatting diminished into a low mumble of sound around me. I was being swallowed up by his eyes, making me feel completely immobilized. My senses were completely assaulted by the presence of Louis Tomlinson, the sight of him triggering all the memories of his voice, his smell, his touch. The unforgiving power he held over me was playing the Devil's advocate with my intelligence, and my heart was hammering a wild, uneven beat in my ears.

I watched as he lowered his phone from his ear, shaking his head and started walking towards me. I saw Sam look in my direction as Louis left their group, Drew flipping his eyes up too. They both looked uneasy at Louis' obvious target.

I momentarily recaptured my senses when Sam grabbed Louis' arm to pull him back but got shoved out of the way. The music and activity crashed back into my brain so I pleaded with my legs to listen to the sensible side of my brain and took me away from there before my stupid side allowed me to fall victim to his physical magnetism again. I abandoned my drink on the bar and kicked my legs into action, bolting through the crowd, knocking people out of the way, as my retreat became fraught with the need to make it to the safety of the toilets.

No contact and no derailment. Hazardous didn't quite cover it. He had proved tonight exactly why I needed to avoid him like the plague.

I threw the cubicle door shut, fighting to secure the latch as he pushed against the other side, hindering my attempts to keep him away as I felt my adrenaline pumping. For the briefest of moments, I thought I had managed to block his access because the resistance on the other side eased, but not enough to for me to get the lock engaged.

"Harry, I'm coming in or you're coming out. I don't want to hurt you but if you don't stop fighting me, I'll break the fucking door down." His breathing was heavy.

Resting my back against the door, I tried to get some air into my lungs. I looked up around me, noticing that I was cornered.

_I can't look at him, I'll cave if he gets his hands on me. I need to not be in this fucking position! How did I get myself in the situation?_

I jumped when the bang of a fist on the door resonated through me.

"God damn it, Harry!" Bang. "Harry, please!" I repeatedly jolted forward under the thumps of Louis' fist, knowing I was screwed.

"Go away, please!" I shouted and his fist collided with the door again.

"No, fuck. Harry!"

I just had to leave. He wouldn't restrain me in such a public place and I needed to walk away. Block it out and block him out.

There was silence, making me hold my breath at the thought of him being gone. I stood quietly for a few minutes, my eyes darting around the small cubicle, constantly looking up to check he was not coming over the top. I stupidly relaxed against the door, thinking he was gone.

Within in two seconds flat, I was thrust forward and he was in. When I turned around, there was less than a foot between us and the first thing I noticed was his rapid breathing, his black shirt lifting with the rise and fall of his chest. I stared at his jeans because I knew if I looked up at his handsome face, I was at an instant disadvantage.

"Harry, look at me!" He demanded harshly and I clapped my hands over my ears, lowering myself to the toilet seat, trying to block it out. "Harry, why are you doing this?" He asked.

I started humming in my head as I stared down at the floor. I felt his hands clap around my wrists, pulling my hands away from my ears, his touch heating my skin. 

"I don't want to do this in the toilets of a bar, Harry!"

"Then don't!" I tried to regain possession of my hands but, as usual, he overpowered me. "Please, just let me walk away!" He slowly crouched down in front of me, still holding my wrists.

"Never..." He whispered. The tears in my eyes spilled over, splashing the top of my knees.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I cried and he clenched my jaw, pulling it up so I had no choice but to look at him, his eyes a glazed.

"Doing what?"

I used my free hand to roughly brush the dampness away from my cheeks, suddenly horrified that I was, yet again, crying all over him.

"You persistently pursued me, bombarded me with calls and texts, fucked me into oblivion and threw a wobbly when I rearranged our meeting. You stormed off for four days, and I've not heard from you since!" I pulled my other hand from his grasp. "Now, you turn up, trampling all over my recovery night!" He was the one to look away after that, ashamed.

"Watch your mouth..." He murmured.

"Fuck off, Louis!" I spat and his head snapped up.

"Mouth!" I looked at him in shock and he scowled at me, his frown line deep on his forehead.

_I can't cope with this. I've had four days to put my encounters with this man down to experience and rebound fucking. I was well on my way to forgetting him; well kind of. Why is he here refreshing it all for me? I knew I should've stayed away. I could kick myself._

I stood up in front of him, leaving him crouching, but he reached up and clasped behind my legs. The fear of his evocative touch was completely warranted and I was immediately on guard. The heat emanating from his palms was spreading like wildfire through my bloodstream and there was no way to free myself from it. The toilet was behind me and he was blocking the door.

"Let me go, Louis..." I grated, with all the firmness my quivering vocal cords allowed and he looked up at me.

"No."

"You seemed to manage just fine on Tuesday."

He pushed himself up to his feet, sliding his palms up the backs of my legs as he did, sparking a vicious bang between my legs.

"I was mad..." He said quietly as he loomed over me.

"You're still mad. Did you know I would be here?" I asked and he stared down at me, but he didn't answer. "You knew I would be here, didn't you?" I pushed.

"Sam." He offered, completely unashamed.

"Sam?"

"He rang Niall."

"He never said!" I cried in despair.

_The devious cow! I can't believe he's done this to me. There will be some seriously strong words exchanged when I get my hands on him._

"I'm going to kiss you now..." He used that tone and I knew I was doomed. "You're lucky because if I had you anywhere else, you would be getting a reminder...right...about... now." I gasped as he took the one step forward that was needed to close the gap between us. With the toilet behind me, there was no retreating space. "I like your outfit..." He murmured, stroking my arm with his fingertip. "It's too tight, but I like it." He leaned down, nuzzling my neck on a groan and my knees buckled.

My eyes closed without command, my head turning into his hot breath on my neck, my willpower scattered to the wind, just like that.

I felt him crouch slightly, his arm creeping under my backside and with one effortless pull, he straightened his legs and lifted me from the floor. I was secure against his chest and looking down into his eyes.

Game over. In a tiny toilet cubicle, I had absolutely no hope.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me?" His husky voice broke as he looked up at me. "I'm a fucking mess..."

He released his grip on me slightly, causing me to slide down his body until our lips met. He swung me around, pinning me up against the back of the door. I didn't have time to be concerned by our location, being too busy searching for the willpower to stop what was happening. His tongue brushed across the seam of my closed lips, tempting them open, and I was furious with myself for responding but I should know that it was unavoidable. I opened to him like I always do, meeting his tongue with mine, clamping my hands in his hair.

Groaning deep and low in his throat, he locked his free hand around the base of my neck to hold me in place as he pushed his body further into mine. Our mouths were fused and our tongues colliding, rolling and stabbing together. It was a possessive, demanding kiss, and I was back to square one. With just one kiss, I surrendered. I was weak and desperate.

He broke away, leaving me panting and feeling the violent rise of his chest pressing against my chest bone. His forehead met mine and my nostrils were instantly invaded with his minty breath.  

"There he is..." He panted surely.  
  
"Yes, you got me again."   
  
"I missed you, baby..." He smiled slightly, circling his nose with mine.  
  
"Why did you go then?"

"I have no idea..." He planted a lingering kiss on my lips and let me slide down his body.

 I felt the undeniable hard ridge of the arousal as I slipped past his groin. He was being very reasonable, especially considering his current hard condition. I looked up at him, finding a dark smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"I should force you to sort this out..." He placed his hand over his crotch and my eyes widened in shock. He bashed down all of my defenses and trampled my rational thinking, as he had a frightening effect on me. "But I'm not having you on your knees in here. We'll make friends properly later."

I was not sure if I was disappointed or relieved.

He opened the door, maneuvering, so I could leave and I walked out to be immediately confronted by two wide-eyed men. They started talking about anything and everything, looking anywhere and everywhere, except at me. But then Louis made an appearance and they couldn't hide their blatant interest. They both stood there, gawking in the reflection of the mirror at the magnificent male who emerged from the cubicle behind me. I turned to Louis.   
  
"I need to sort my face out. I'll see you out there."  
  
"You face is perfect as it is..." He reassured me softly and I couldn't help but smile.   
  
"I won't be long..."

With no regard for the men still gawping at him, he walked over and kissed my forehead, looking at the dumbstruck men in the mirror.   
  
"Gentlemen." He nodded, they swooned, and then he was gone.  
  
I shuffled over to the mirror to sort my face out, the silence painful as I passed my hands on my hair. I did all of it in with a very uncomfortable silence, as the two men shot each other questioning glances every so often.  
  
When I was done, I washed my hands, smiled sweetly and left, hearing them coo and melt all over the bathroom. I escaped and found Louis waiting for me outside. He held his hand out on a smile and, of course, I took it, letting him lead me to the bar. I scanned the dance floor as he pushed his way through the crowd, making a clear path by holding his spare arm out. I saw Niall, Tom and Victoria, all still busting their moves.

"What do you want to drink?" He asked, tucking me under his arm and getting the bar man's immediate attention.  
  
"Zinfandel, please..." I inched closer to him until I couldn't get near enough. He gave me a quick scan over with his enquiring eyes, pursing his lips.   
  
"Your friends?"  
  
"Oh, Niall's a wine, vodka with tonic for Victoria, and a pina colada for Tom." His eyes widened.   
  
"Tom?"  
  
"You've met him." I smiled.

Realization dawned on his handsome face. He shook his head in dismay, releasing me and turning back to the barman, who was waiting patiently for Louis to order the drinks.  
  
Niall and Tom approached us, laughing and eyeing me up. I flashed Niall a filthy look, but he just pointed his finger at his own chest in a 'moi' gesture.  
  
"Louis ordered your drinks!" I informed them while keeping my accusing scowl fixed right on Niall and he ignored me.  
  
"Oh... a God and a gentleman!" Tom gushed, blatantly eyeing up Louis' arse and I didn't blame him, it was a very attractive jean clad arse.  
  
Louis presented the drinks to Niall and Tom, and I watched in stunned silence as Niall leaned in to give Louis a kiss on his cheek. I was even more shocked when Louis smiled brightly at him before whispering something in his ear.

_What's going on?_


	19. ღ XIX.

Niall turned, winked at me and led Tom back to the dance floor as Louis handed me my wine, opening a bottle of water for himself. He slipped his free arm around my waist to pull me close, making me look up at him questioningly.

"Hey, my man!" Sam came barrelling over with Drew, both taking the beers that Louis handed them. "Harry, where's the love?" He leaned down so I could peck his cheek, flashing me his cute dimple as he did. He was cheeky, sweet and terribly good looking, but given Victoria's revelation, I needed to be wary on Niall's behalf. Drew held his bottle up as his hello, ever the shrewd, standoffish one. I smiled and leaned up to Louis' ear.

"I'm going to join the others..." He was with his mates and it was supposed to be a friends night out. He turned his face into my neck and stole a cheeky nuzzle, taking full advantage of my position.

"I'll be watching..." He warned in my ear, nipping my lobe and slapping my backside. The soreness had abated but there was still evidence of my tumble around in the back of Margo. I pulled away and pouted playfully, earning me a huge smile and a wink.

Leaving him at the bar, I found the others on the dance floor, all happily lapping up the music and drinks. I laughed at Tom, who was in a world of his own and, as Justin Timberlake's Lovestoned came through the speakers, I was welcomed to the dance floor with gasps and whoops. In my semi-drunken state, I stupidly downed my wine and discarded my glass on the designated drinks ledge. If there was ever a track to pull me out of my despair, even if it was just for a few moments, it would be that one. The timing was impeccable. All bags were thrown, unceremoniously, into the middle, Justin shouting 'Hey' and the crowd was thrown into a delirious frenzy. 

I was happily enjoying some moves and laughs with Niall when I was grabbed by the waist and spun around. I found Sam grinning at me and nodding over my shoulder.

"Here he comes, I hope you're ready for this." He said.  
  
"What?" I shouted over the music. Sam's grin widened, displaying his dimple at its deepest.   
  
"He thinks he owns JT."  
  
I had no idea what he was talking about. He clasped my shoulders, rotating me on the floor, and I spotted Louis striding towards me. I was suddenly worried that he was going to cause a scene and drag me from the floor. For what, I wasn't sure, but he was famous for flinging me over his shoulder as he pleased.

I watched him nearing, slowing my movements down as I concentrated on his approach, not sure what to make of it. His expression was dark and hungry, and I was completely engrossed by his tall, lean body getting closer, that bloody gait doing serious things to me. By the time he was standing before me, as close as he could get but without touching me, I've stopped moving completely with my breathing heavy. He snaked his arm around my waist and hauled me up to his body, prompting my hands to fly up and grasp his flexing biceps as he rested his forehead against mine.  
  
"You're going to get a lot of men dropped if you keep dancing like that. You like a bit of JT?"  
  
"Yes..." I breathed and he smiled that delicious, melt-worthy smile, reserved only for men.

"Me too!" He dropped a kiss on my lips, then, to my utter shock, he grasped my hand and flung me out on a spin before yanking me back into his arms. "And it's the extended version."

I looked at Sam, who rolled his eyes on a shrug, then back to Louis, who had the biggest self-assured smirk on his face.

He was going to dance. Well, it should be interesting.

I didn't know if it was the fact that I drank my own body weight in wine, or if it was Louis' cocksure demeanor but whichever, it got me performing an indecent shimmy down Louis' body, while my palms drag, damn right obscenely, from his chest, all the way down to his thighs. There I was, squatting in front of him with my palms partly spanning the front of his magnificent thighs, looking up at the most handsome man I had ever laid my eyes on.

My jeans were probably showing, even more, my bum but I was oblivious. All of my attention was on the God-like creature staring down at me, with a filthy, promising look on his face. I smiled boldly, making a point of smoothing my palms closer to his groin area, before slowly pushing myself up against his body, ensuring maximum contact between us. As my face passed his groin, I ran my nose up the fly of his jeans, feeling him shudder and jerk before he reached down, grabbed my arms and hauled me up the rest of the way. My heart was hammering as he breathed in my ear long hot heavy breaths.

"I should bend you over here and fuck you until you scream. Those jeans are absurd."

I didn't have time to say 'yes please' since I was spun out, and I watched as Louis made a mockery of Mister JT himself. I was completely astonished at what was unfolding before me. Louis Tomlinson could dance and dance well.

He moved around me, his rhythm flawless, drawing the attention of many delighted men. I snatched quick glances at the others, all sharing in Louis' delight and I laughed. I laughed at the sexy, confident, fluid movements that had come as such a pleasant surprise.

Leaning into me, he gave me a teasing circle of his hips before he sent me on a full three-sixty spin under his arm, pulling me back into his chest and thrusting his hips into my lower stomach, his erection still evident and mine still growing every second. I cheekily reached down to stroke his jean-clad crotch, raising my eyebrows when he shook his head in warning.

Clearly, his boldness was rubbing off on me.

He proceeded to lower himself down my body, grinning as he clasped my hips and I jerked. I looked at him watching me as he drifted down, landing on his knees in front of me, and moving his glorious hips in time to the beat.

I was being flung around the dance floor, worshipped and adored. All of his attention was on me and me alone, and nothing or no one else existed, just me and him.

I liked it and I loved that he had no misgivings, he didn't care what anyone thought. He was confident, masculine and unashamed. It was refreshing, and I was not ignorant of the fact that I was falling. I was falling really hard for the man and I didn't think there was much I could do about it, especially when he wouldn't let me walk away. 

I glanced at the others, to see Sam flinging Niall around the floor and Drew was homing in on Victoria. Drew, in all his smart finery, seemed a bit too up his own backside for sassy, sometimes a bit dense, Victoria, but drink had clearly loosened him up because he was laughing and the suit jacket had been removed. Tom was just being Tom, throwing himself around like a deranged maniac.  
  
I turned my attention back to Louis when he grasped my hips. He planted a long languid kiss on my stomach, gazing straight into my eyes before springing to his feet in front of me and dropping his lips to mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, sighing into his mouth.  
  
"It seems I have competition..." He mumbled against my lips.  
  
"No, you win!" I stated and he pulled back, hitting me with his roguish grin.

"I've won all right, young man." He released me and I let him take me on the floor as we moved in complete harmony together.   
  
 _It's perfect. He's perfect. I can't even remember why I'm mad. Am I mad?_

But then the energetic beat slowed down, drifting into the smooth, powerful drones of violins and a slow intense beat. I was short of breath and swathed in Louis' body. He thrust his thigh between my legs and swayed us both to the echoes of the extended piece. I looked up at his beautiful face as he sang to me, and I had a frightening moment of pure lucidity. 

He had a flashing, neon sign the size of London on his forehead, saying 'RUN'. But I couldn't and he wouldn't let me, for a start, besides, I didn't think I wanted to. He disappeared for four days but he was back, and I was really glad. Good Lord, with a stomach full of wine, that was not the time to be contemplating such complex and risky issues.

I felt like I was navigating very dangerous waters there. I knew nothing about the man. Well, apart from his extreme wealth, extreme intensiveness and the fact that he owned a massively plush hotel, but other than that, nothing. I didn't even know how old he was. But despite my lack of knowledge, he had completely taken me.

I leaned up and placed my lips on his, and within a few seconds, when he was moaned into my mouth and tightened his grip on me, we were entwined in a deep, passionate embrace. It was there that I realized he trampled into my life and stole my heart, and there was nothing I could do about it.

The music started to fade out, drifting into another track, and I started leaning back in his arms. He bent with me, supporting my back and refusing to break the contact of our lips. Moaning disapprovingly, he reluctantly released me but kept me suspended in his arms and it was not uncomfortable, surprisingly since he was holding all of my weight like I was no more than a feather.  
  
His sludgy blue eyes twinkled as they penetrated my heart and soul, and he lowered his face to mine so our lips brushed lightly.  
  
"You've got me, baby."

I made my way from the dance floor with Louis' palm placed in the small of my back, guiding me as he moved people out of the way with his spare arm. He led me over to a tall table, but all the stools had been claimed elsewhere. 

"Wait here!" He positioned me by the table and wrapped his palm around my neck, pulling me in and planting a kiss on my forehead. "Don't move!"  
  
I put my phone and wallet on the table, watching him as he disappeared into the crowd. I didn't have much time with my thoughts, which was probably a good thing, Niall and the others came crashing through the crowd, laughing and sweating, with Sam and Drew in tow. Sam eyed me on my own.   
  
"Where's Louis?" He asked and I frowned.

"I don't know..." I pointed in the direction that Louis left in, just as he reappeared back through the mass of people carrying a bar stool over his head. He placed it down on the ground.

"Sit." He commanded, lifting me onto the stool, which was a relief since my feet were killing me. "Drinks?" He asked and everyone nodded, throwing their orders his way, leaving him looking slightly harassed as he leaned in to listen to what everyone wanted. Sam stepped up to the plate.

"I'll give you a hand."  
  
"Yeah, I'm coming." Drew followed Louis and Sam to the bar, leaving the three remaining pairs of eyes on me.  
  
"What?" I asked.   
  
My head was suddenly swimming in wine. Niall arched a well-plucked eyebrow at me, folding his arms over his chest.   
  
"Looking a bit cozy!" He fired and Tom stroke the oversized lapels of his coral shirt.

"Cozy? No, no, no. That wasn't cozy! That was guaranteed hot sex tonight, darling!" He rose both hands, and Niall and Victoria complied, slapping a hand each in unison. I scowled at Niall.

"Me and you, later." I threatened and he inhaled sharply.

"Oh, feisty! I love everything this man brings out in you."

He was making it perfectly obvious that he loved the man, and I wanted to know what was going on in that little exchange.

"Did you see him move?" Victoria piped up.

"He wasn't bad." Tom pouted.

"So..." I was firing it right back at Niall. "Talking of cozy?" I nodded at Sam as he walked back through the crowd, balancing three drinks between his hands.

"A bit of fun." He shrugged.

"And you?" I looked at Victoria and she looked shocked.

"Me?"

"Yes, I saw you shaking your thing at Drew!" I explained and Tom threw his hands up in the air in exasperation.

"I'm a huffing raspberry! I want to go to Route Sixty!" He turned to Victoria. "Darling, please!"

"No!" She exclaimed and I didn't blame her considering it made a change for Victoria to be having the attention, possibly the action too.

Sam planted the drinks on the table and Drew followed suit, brushing suspiciously close to Victoria. She giggled, fluffing her hair and Sam grinned.

"Wine for Niall!" He bowed as he handed Niall the glass. "Vodka for Victoria and I had no idea what that was, but it looks camp, so it must be yours." Sam handed Tom a pina colada on a wink. Tom blushed a bright shade of red and flopped a limp wrist at Sam.

For the first time in his life, Tom was rendered shy. Oh, that was too good of an opportunity to miss.

"Tom, your face is matching with your shirt!" I spluttered, through a helpless fit of laughter. Everyone turned to stare at Tom, only serving to intensify his blush and, subsequently, his mortification. An eruption of howling laughter broke out, prompting Tom to huff a few times and storm off.  
  
"What's so funny?" Louis asked when he reached us, placing my wine and a bottle of water on the table. I couldn't talk as I was still recovering from my fits of giggles. I wiped my eyes.  
  
"We've just found Tom's Achilles heel." Niall volunteered when he saw I was no closer to composure. Louis looked perplexed as he looked around at the recovering hyenas that he returned to. I saw Sam shrugging and swigging his beer.  
  
"Sam." I offered, through my abating giggles.  
  
"Sam?" Louis frowned and Victoria jumped in.

"Tom fancies Sam!" She cried cheerfully.  
  
Louis shook his head and reached for his water, undoing the screw cap and taking a swig.   
  
"Here, have some." He trusted the bottle under my nose.  
  
"No!" I screwed my face up, pushing it away.  
  
"Have some water, Harry. You'll thank me in the morning."  
  
"I don't want any water..." I said and he scowled at me, thrusting the water in my face again.   
  
"Have it!" He growled.

I glanced around, seeing everyone looking at our little exchange. I was definitely not having it. I shove his outstretched arm away from my face and picked up my wine, raising my glass to him before taking a swig. Actually, I downed the lot. I made a point of placing my glass down precisely before I looked up at Louis. He was proper brooding, his lips pressed into a straight line as he shook his head at me.

"No!" I stated firmly, enhancing my point.

_He's already trampled on my recovery night. He's not dictating what I drink too._

"There goes your action tonight..." Sam smirked and Niall burst into fits of laughter.

"Fuck off, Sam!" Louis warned, in a rather deadly tone. He was not happy, but I was drunk and rebellious, so I didn't care.

Sam rose his hands, backing off immediately. At the same time, Niall clenched his lips shut to suppress his laughter, giving me the eyes and I shrugged, wondering if he liked demanding and commanding Louis as much as he liked white knight Louis.  
  
Drew and Victoria moved off to the side, out of everyone's earshot, after a little nod from Drew. Usually confident and a little standoffish, Drew looked a little shy as Victoria chatted buoyantly to him. He took his phone from his pocket, punching in digits as Victoria reeled them off, holding it up for her to check when he was done.   
  
That was not the actions of a man not prepared to call so it was interesting.

I was vaguely aware of the conversation going on around me, but my head was suddenly very foggy. I knew it was the last drink I should never have had and all just to prove a childish point. Louis was right and I would regret it in the morning.

The voices began to muffle and double vision set in.

_Yep, mission accomplished. I'm plastered!_

I felt Louis' hand at the base of my neck, massaging me over my hair as he chatted to Sam. I closed my eyes, absorbing his firm touch as he worked my muscles. It felt so nice, I could actually fall asleep if he kept it up.

When I opened my eyes, Louis was leaning down, looking into my drunken eyes and shaking his head.

"Come on, young man. I'm taking you home." I threw a disorientated arm at him.

"I'm fine..." I didn't want him ruining my recovery night. I heard Niall and Louis exchanged a few words and then I was hoisted up from the stool to my feet.

"Can you stand?" He asked.

"Of course, I'm not that drunk." I was and it would seem I was argumentative too.

I was presented to everyone, in turn, all of them planting a kiss on my cheek, while Louis propped me up. Once he was ensured I said all of my goodbyes, he guided me out of the bar and I was ashamed to admit it, but if Louis' arm wasn't wrapped around my waist holding me up, I would be flat on my face.

The fresh air hit me, causing me to stagger slightly, but I was swiftly scooped up from the pavement, feeling the familiar comfort of Louis' chest against my cheek as he carried me to his car.

"You're not going to throw up on me, are you?" He asked.

"No!" I scoffed.

"Are you sure?" He laughed and I felt the vibrations from his chest pass through me.

"I'm fine!" I gambled against his shirt.

_He sounds like my Dad. Is he old enough to be my Dad? No, there's not a father on the planet that dances like Louis or fucks like Louis. Oh, my drunken thoughts are filthy!_

"Okay, a few seconds warning would be nice, though. I'm putting you in my car now."  
  
"I'm not going to throw up!" I insisted.  
  
I felt myself being lowered into his car and the sensation of cold leather on the back on my neck as I came to rest in the seat. He leaned in over me and fastened my seat belt, his freshwater smell, and minty breath invading my nostrils. I recognized it, even in my inebriated state. As he pulled back, hovering in my line of sight, there were two of him and I tried to focus, eventually homing in on a huge smile.  
  
"You're adorable, even when you're legless!" He leaned in, giving me a chaste kiss on my lips. "You're coming home with me." It seemed that all functions have ceased, except for the drunken, argumentative part of me.

"I'm not coming to yours!" I slurred.  
  
"Yes, you are." He asserted, and I still recognized his stern tone, even in my drunken stupor. Not that I would take much notice of it, though. The passenger door shut firmly and he was soon behind the wheel.  
  
"I'm not, you can take me home."  
  
"Forget it, Harry. I'm not leaving you in this state on your own. End of."  
  
"You're bossy!" I complained. "I want to go home..." I actually didn't know what I wanted to do.

_Does it matter where I sleep tonight? No, it doesn't, but my drunken need to remain defiant is hijacking any reasonableness that's left in my wine drenched brain. I want to go home and that's it!_

"Get used to it." He laughed.

"No!" I flopped my head back on the headrest and closed my eyes. I understood that statement was enough to challenge it and I was surprised I was still coherent.

"You're adorable, but you're also a pain in the arse when you're drunk." He grumbled.

"Good!" I said haughtily.

He started the car and the vibrations from the engine instantly played havoc with my wine filled stomach. I heard him laugh to himself.

"Louis?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"How old are you?"

_What a ridiculous question. Even if he did relent on this obsession with keeping his age a classified, I wouldn't remember in the morning._

"Twenty-five..." He sighed.

I really was very drunk and car spin was beginning to set in, even though my eyes were closed.

"It doesn't matter how old you are..." I mumbled.

"It doesn't?"

"No, it doesn't. Nothing matters, I still love you."

I heard a sharp intake of breath before I passed out.


	20. ღ XX.

I squinted at the bombardment of light that was hammering at my sensitive eyes and snapped them shut again. Shuffling onto my side, I immediately realized that I was not in my own bed so my eyes flew open, and I sat up.

My hands gripped my head to try and ease the pain but it didn't work. Sort of shooting my brain out, nothing was going to alleviate the thumping. I gazed around the room, recognizing at my surroundings immediately. I was in the master suite of Lusso, in a total loss at how I came to be there. I had never been so drunk that my memory had failed me.

I tried retracing my night, instantly remembering Louis roughing up poor Cockney. Then I remembered dancing. I also remembered arguing with Louis in the toilets and then I remembered dancing again. Oh, and I remembered Tom having a hissy fit, but then nothing.

I would ask myself how I came to be there, but I really didn't need to ask that question if Louis was in the bar. I grasped the bedding, lifting the sheets to look under the covers. I had my panties on, so I couldn't imagine any Louis style fucking went down.

I smiled to myself.

I gingerly pushed myself up, needing water and a toothbrush pronto, untangling myself from the bedding as I did, reveling in the waft of Louis' scent as it hit my nostrils, every slight movement crashing into my poor head. When I was on my feet, standing in just my underwear, I staggered, still feeling drunk.

"And how is my boy lush this morning?" His voice was smug. He sauntered over to me, looking too fucking delicious in his tight white boxer shorts and with his morning messy hair, knowing I probably looked awful with my loose hair.

"Terrible..." I confessed moodily, my voice throaty, and I heard him chuckle to himself. If I could coordinate my movements, I would swing at him. I felt his arms wrap around me and I was thankful for the support as I buried my head in his chest and could, quite easily, drift back off to sleep.

"Do you want some breakfast?" He asked, stroking my hair. Even his soft rubs against my skull were unbearably loud and I nearly vomited at the thought of food. He must have felt my dry heaves and body jerks because he laughed again. "Just some water then?"

"Please..." I mumbled into his chest.

"Come here..." He scooped me up and carried me downstairs to the kitchen, placing me on the worktop gently.

"Oh!" I winced with the cold.

He laughed, easing his grip away slowly like he was afraid I was going to fall off and I probably would. I grabbed the edge of the worktop to steady myself and watched, through half-open eyes, as Louis opened almost every cupboard in the kitchen before he found the one with the glasses in.

"You don't know where you keep your own glasses?" He rummaged through a drawer, pulling out a white sachet.

"I'm learning. My housekeeper tried to tell me, but I was a little distracted." He ripped the sachet open and tipped it into a glass. The muscles of his back rolled as he got a bottle of water from the fridge, filling the glass quickly, before walking back over to me. "Alka-Seltzer. It'll sort you out within half an hour. Drink." I reached to take it from him but my arms didn't liaise with my brain. Without a word, he moved between my thighs and lifted the glass to my lips for me as I guzzled the lot. "More?" I shook my head.

"I'm never drinking again..." I mumbled, falling forward onto his chest.

"That would please me so much. You're very argumentative when you're drunk." He stroked my back.

"I am?"

"Yes, promise me you won't get in that state when I'm not around to look after you..."

"Did we argue?" I asked, remembering the toilet dispute but remembering we were friends after that.

"No, I submitted power temporarily..." He sighed.

"That must have been a challenge..." I replied dryly and he reached up, snapping the top of my panties.

"It was, but you're worth the effort!" He turned his face into me, kissing my hair before pulling back and focusing his stare on my semi-naked state. "I love you in lace..." He said softly. "Shower?" I nodded against his shoulder, wrapping my arms and legs around him as he slid me from the counter. I was carried back through the penthouse, upstairs into the bathroom and put on my feet outside the shower. I was left briefly as he turned the shower on and I felt wobbly. As soon as he was in front of me again, I flopped forward onto his chest. "You are feeling sorry for yourself, aren't you?" He picked me up and placed me on the vanity unit. "I have fond memories of you sitting exactly here..." I frowned to myself, but then realized; our first sexual encounter happened in there on the launch night of Lusso. I looked up into hazy blue eyes staring down at me.

"You finally got me where you wanted me, didn't you?" I said and he cupped his hand on my cheek.

"It was always going to happen, Harry..." He grabbed his toothbrush, squirting some toothpaste on and ran it under the tap. "Open." He ordered.

He set about brushing my teeth gently, holding my jaw in his free hand and I watched him concentrate on his small circling movements around my mouth as my dance floor revelation came back to me, the moment that I finally admitted to myself that I had, most definitely, fallen in love with that man. I wasn't so drunk when that little realization crashed into my wine drenched brain. My aim to avoid exactly that had been well and truly trampled. I've fallen in love with the arrogant, forceful, God-like creature.

I reached up to cup his stubbled cheek in my hand and his eyes jumped to mine, his lips parted ever so slightly. He stopped brushing and turned his face into my palm, kissing it tenderly.

"Spit..." He said quietly against my hand.

I dropped my hand from his face and leaned over the sink to rid my mouth of toothpaste before returning to face him. Running his thumb across my lip, he collected some stray paste and slid his thumb in his mouth to clean off what he swept up.

"Thank you..." I uttered through my cracked voice, seeing the corner of his mouth cocked into a half smile.

"It's just as much for my benefit as it is for yours..." He smiled, leaning in and kissing me soft and slow on the lips, his tongue sweeping through my mouth tenderly. I sagged on a sigh. "You're rubbish at hangovers. Is there anything I can do to make it better?" He pulled me off of the unit, so I was standing before him and reached around to clench my bum, effectively holding me up.

"Have you got a gun?" I asked him seriously, knowing that would cure my pounding head.He laughed a proper belly laugh.

"That bad, huh?"

"Yes, why is it so funny?"

"It's not, I'm sorry!" He straightened his face and ran his middle finger down the side of my cheek. "I'm going to make it all better now..."

Alcohol, quite clearly, did not kill off my libido because every dehydrated nerve ending sprung to life. I probably looked hideous and he was getting all fresh with me. We were not on even ground. He was fierce and God damn delectable in his morning roguishness, smelling all musky, mixed with fresh water while I, on the other hand, had a hangover from Hell and felt like I resembled something like a scarecrow, but he didn't seem to be bothered.

He leaned down and gave each one of my nipples a quick peck. They hardened instantly under the brief contact from his lips. My body had been completely distracted by the after-effects of alcohol and was buzzing all over in anticipation of his touch. As his head rose and his lips found mine, my hands slid up his arms and delved into his soft, brown mass of hair.

_Oh God, I've missed this. It's only been four days, but I've missed it so much, it frightens me._

"You're addictive..." He breathed against my mouth. "We're going to make friends properly now..."

"Are we not friends?" I asked, my voice breathy and desperate.

"Not properly, but we will be soon, baby..."

A wave of tremors flew through me as he kissed my nose gently and dropped to his knees in front of me, spanning my hips with his big palms, hooking his thumbs into the top of my panties.

I tensed and waited, but he made no attempt to remove them. I looked down at him and watched him kneeling there, his forehead resting on my stomach, as I weaved my fingers through his light brown hair. We remained like that for an eternity, trapped in our own little dream state, just me watching him as he rolled his forehead across my tummy, back and forth.

He eventually took a deep breath and leaned in, placing his lips below my belly button and letting them linger there for a few seconds before slowly dragging my panties down my legs. He tapped my ankle, a wordless instruction to lift, and repeated the same on my other foot.

I looked down at him knelt before me, his head lowered, and I knew something was playing on his mind. I tugged on his hair to snap him out of his daydream, and he turned his face up to me, his eyes meeting mine. His frown lined was heavy on his forehead as he reached up, spreading his palms on my backside and dipped his head, kissing my stomach again. He was behaving peculiarly.

"What's wrong?" I couldn't keep my concern to myself. He looked up at me and smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Nothing..." He said unconvincingly. "Nothing's wrong..."

No sooner was I preparing to challenge him, his face was buried under me and my legs buckled.

"Ohhhhh!" My head flew back and my grip on his hair tightened. In one foul lick, he had me lock stock and the niggling urge to press him was forgotten.

He moved his grip to my hips, causing me to jerk wildly, making him the only thing holding me up. I felt his hot, skillful tongue circle my hypersensitive balls, rounding with slow, precise movements before delving deep into my core. There was not a single bit of me he was not exploring.

"I need a shower!" I complained.

"I need you..." He mumbled against me.

I was sent into a melting mess as he increased the pressure, digging his fingers into my hips. I ground against his mouth and it was only a matter of seconds before I was falling to pieces, the surging pressure crashing down into my groin having me holding my breath, with my heart jumping into my throat. He passed his thumb on the tip of my hard dick before putting in his mouth.

"You taste incredible. Tell me when you're close."

"I'm close!" I gasped on a long rush of breath.

"Someone's keen this morning..." A hand was removed from my hip and two fingers plunged into me, sending me into orbit.

"Oh, shit!" I shouted. "Please!" I pulled his hair harder.

"Watch...your...fucking...mouth." He scorned me, between powerful even strokes.

_He can't tell me off for swearing during these moments. It's his fault for putting me through this._

He stretched my opening with his fingers, circling and thrusting while working my balls with his thumb and lapping at my sensitive dick with his tongue, in a torturous pleasure that I could endure forever, if it wasn't for the increasing pressure weighing down on me, demanding release.

"Louis!" I shouted desperately.

With a few more measured strokes of his fingers, thumb, and tongue, I was hurled off the edge of a cliff and free falling into nothing, the banging of my dehydrated brain replaced with sparks of pleasure. I felt cured. He lapped and sucked, slowly and gently, easing me down at a steady rate, my body relaxing and my heart rate leveling out. I kept my palms on his head, tracing slow, light circles in his hair.

"You're the best hangover cure..." I exhaled, on a long satisfied breath.

"You're the best everything cure..." He countered and his tongue traced up the middle of my stomach, between my chest as he rose to his feet. He continued the trail up my neck, tilting my head on a groan as he lapped up my taut throat. "Hmmm, now..." He kissed my chin softly. "I'm going to fuck you in the shower..." He tugged my chin so my head came back down as he kissed my lips. "Deal?"

"Deal..." I agreed.

_What a stupid question. I've not had him for four days. Where was he? I doubt I would get a straight answer if I asked._

Instead, I took my time running my palms down his lovely chest, settling my eyes on his evil scar, something else I doubted he would divulge.

"Don't even ask. How's your head?" He said and I snapped my eyes from his scar, back up to him, seeing he was looking at me with a warning look. I wouldn't be challenging that tone or that face.

"Better..." I answered and his face softened, as he looked down at his boxers.

I took the hint, slipping my hand into the waistband, brushing his hair with the back of my hand and skimming over his morning erection. I flicked my eyes to his and found them regarding me carefully. When I moved in closer, he took the opportunity to lower his forehead onto mine, blessing me with his signature minty breath.

We were surrounded by steam, condensation settling all over us and I could see his chest hair dampening, gripping to his skin as I slipped my hands around the back of his boxers, smoothing my palms over his tight, extraordinary arse.

"I love this..." I whispered, molding my palms over his cheeks and he rolled his forehead against mine.

"It's all yours, baby."

I smiled my approval and smoothed my palms back to the front, grasping his thick, pulsing arousal at the base.   
  
"I really love this..."  
  
He groaned in appreciation, swooping down to claim my lips, raiding my mouth possessively, forcing me to release my grip of his hard length and I took my hand back to his arse. I was yanked into his chest, getting a full impact blow of his hardness pushed into my own, already recommencing build up. The urgent need to have him inside me had me breaking our kiss and tugging at his boxers to get them down his long, lean legs. He released one hand from my bum to assist, his boxers soon rode off, his massive erection pointing straight at me. It was twitching, it wanted in and the drop of moisture that was beading on the tip told me that that was going to be a shock and awe moment. I was right. I was swiftly grabbed around the waist and pulled upwards against his heaving body.

"Get your thighs around my waist..." He growled against my neck as he sucked and bit at me. I complied without a thought, wrapping my legs around his waiting body when he lifted me, his arousal slipping over my swollen entrance, causing a desperate cry to escape my mouth.  
  
"Oh, God!" I gasped.  
  
He crashed his lips against mine, moaning as our tongues performed a ceremonial dance in our mouths. My hands smoothed down his stubble as he held me with one arm wrapped around my waist and walked us into the open-ended shower. I was immediately pinned against the tiles, his palm slapping into the wall above my head as he worshiped my mouth, hot water raining down all around us.  
  
"This is going to be hard, Harry." He warned. "You can scream."

I was burning all over, and it had nothing to do with the hot water pouring all over us. I moved my hands around to grip his back when I felt him rear back, ready to enter me, my thighs relaxing to give him room. Bringing his hand down from the wall, he guided himself to my hole, looking straight into my eyes as the head of his erection probed at me, making me shiver.

"You and me..." He said as he lowered his lips to mine, kissing me ravenously. "Let's not fight it anymore." And on a sharp shift of his hips, he thrust upwards, filling me to the absolute hilt, slamming his hand back into the wall beside my head on a roar.

"God!" I screamed.

"No, baby, that's me..." He strained between powerful thrusts, pushing me further up the tiled wall. "Feels good, doesn't it?" I clawed at him, trying to get some grip, but the pounding water at his back was making it impossible to hold him. "Harry?"

"Yes!" I threw my head back, panting like crazy with pleasure as with each hard strike he pushed me further towards absolute ecstasy. I felt his lips close around my exposed throat, the water making them skim and slide over my flaming skin.

"You feel so fucking perfect..." He groaned against my throat, continuing with his strong, voracious tempo. "Remembered yet?"  _Oh, this is a reminder fuck! He has no need to worry. There's not a chance I could ever forget._  "Harry, have you remembered yet?" He barked, making a point of slamming out each word.

"I never forgot!" I cried, helpless to his punishing crashes against my body. I released his back, knowing he would hold me in place and pulled his face up to mine, my hands brushing away the pouring water that was trailing down his face. His eyes lifted to find mine. "I never forgot..." I cried through hard slams.  
  
Feeling him move inside me, feeling him tremble with the intensity of our joined bodies moving together, had my emotions tackling me from every angle. He gasped, tilting his head to claim my lips, in a kiss of significance, and I melted into it. It was not helping me with my attempts to rein in my emotions. He moaned into my mouth as I held onto his face, soaking up the passion radiating from every pore of his body. He pounded on, hard and fast.

As our mutual hunger assailed us and I reached the point of no return, I locked my thighs around his narrow hips, every muscle in my body bracing for the snap and release that was on the horizon. He shuddered, mumbling incoherent words against my lips.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" He threw his head back.   
  
"Louis, please!" I cried and he brought his eyes back down to mine. They were dark and hooded and I was slightly concerned. It was bordering on unbearable and I didn't know what to do with myself. It was too much.

"Harder, Harry?"  _What? Oh God, he's going to rip me in half._ "Answer the question." He demanded.

"Yes!" I screamed.   
  
He growled deep in his throat, increasing his thrusts to an even more determined, purposeful pace, a pace that I would never have thought possible. I tightened my thighs to the point of pain, but that just increased the friction and, subsequently, my pleasure.  
  
"Louis..." I was thrown over the threshold, erupting between us on a scream.  
  
The loud groan that burst from his lips signaled that he was with me as he held himself deep inside me, his big body jerking against mine. He bellowed my name and I felt the warm sensation of his release within me. I dropped my head to his shoulder, my heart beating a fast staccato in my chest.

I was held in place with one arm, the forearm of his other arm resting against the wall, his face buried in my neck. He was breathless and my muscles were naturally bonding to his beating length as he rocked gently into me. The shower was pouring down on us, but I could still hear our ragged breaths over the pounding water.  
  
"Holy shit..." He whispered through his suppressed breathing and I sighed.   
  
 _Yes, holy shit, indeed. That was beyond intense._  
  
My mind was like jelly and I knew I wouldn't be able to stand if he tried to put me down.

As if reading my mind, he turned us so his back was against the tiles and he slid down the wall, taking me with him so I was straddling his lap on the shower floor, my face planted on his chest and I could still feel him pulsing inside me. I was totally wrecked, my hangover was chased away but it was replaced with complete exhaustion. He had better be set to stay there for a while because I was going nowhere.   
  
I closed my eyes as I laid peacefully, stuck to his sharp body.

"Young man, you're mine forever..." He said softly as he stroked my wet back with both hands.  
  
My eyes opened and many thoughts invaded my recuperating brain but the loudest one was screaming I wanted to be. I didn't say it, though. I was mindful that we were having amazing sex and he wanted to keep me for exactly that, which would be fine by me if I wasn't so sure that it eventually had to end. Sex on that scale was unfathomable to me, it couldn't possibly last forever, it would wear out and that would be that. But, after having my realization, I was petrified I was going to be left restoring a broken heart. My damn willpower sucked, but I couldn't resist him.  
  
"Are we friends?" I asked, resting my lips on his chest and kissing my way around his nipple.  
  
"We're friends, baby." He answered and I smiled into his chest.

"I'm glad..."  
  
"Me too..." He said quietly. "So glad..."  
  
"Where have you been?"  
  
"It's doesn't matter, Harry."  
  
"It matters to me..." I argued quietly.  
  
"I'm back, that's all that matters." He clenched my bum and pulled me closer to him.   
  
 _Yes, it is but it doesn't make me any less curious and the fact that he won't tell me is just fueling my curiosity. Where has he been?_  
  
"Tell me..." I pushed.

"Harry, leave it." His voice was stern. I sighed and peeled myself from his chest, lifting my heavy eyes to his.   
  
"Fine. I need to wash my hair." 

He pushed my wet locks away from my face and dropped a gentle kiss on my lips.   
  
"Are you hungry yet?"  
  
I was actually. Hangover sex built me up an incredible appetite.   
  
"Very." I climbed off of him, reaching for the shampoo. "Is this it?" I looked at the shampoo, then to Louis. "No conditioner?"  
  
"No, sorry." He pushed himself up from the shower floor, taking the bottle from my hand and squeezing some into my hair. "I want to do it."

I relinquished hair washing duties, letting him laver up my hair, his big palms gently sweeping over my head. Even though I was going to have to wash it again when I got home. No conditioner spelled trouble, but it smelled of him so I really didn't care. I closed my eyes, letting my head fall back, and absorbed the rhythmic movements of his hands. But all too soon, he was positioning me under the shower to rinse away the suds. 

"What the fuck are they?" He spluttered.  
  
"What?" I turned to find out what he was talking about. I caught a glimpse of a shocked expression as he grabbed me, turning me so my back was to him again.  
  
"Them!"  
  
I looked over my shoulder, finding him gawking at my bum and the faded bruises from my little jaunt in the back of Margo. With the look of horror on his face, you would think I had a skin eating disease.  
  
"I fell over in the back of Margo." I rolled my eyes.

"What?" He snapped impatiently.

"I was holding up the cake in the back of Margo..." I reminded him. "I got chucked about a bit."

"A bit?!" He gasped, running his palm across my bum. "Harry, you look like you've been used as a rugby ball!"

"It doesn't hurt." I laughed.

"No more cake propping!" He demanded. "I mean it."

"You're overreacting."

He grumbled some inaudible words and kneeled, planting his soft lips on each on my cheeks. I closed my eyes and sighed.

"I'll be having a word with Niall too." He added and I highly suspected he would.

Standing again, he turned me back around to face him, sweeping the water from my face. I opened my eyes, finding him staring down at me, his face expressionless, but his eyes told a different story.   
  
 _He's mad because of a few bruises? The last time he got mad over a few bruises, I didn't see him for four days._

He leaned down and rested his lips on my collarbone before running his tongue up my neck and clamping his teeth on my earlobe, tugging gently. His hot breath in my ear had me shuddering.   
  
"Later..." He whispered and I moaned in disappointment, never getting enough of him. "Out." He demanded, turning me and clenching my waist from behind to guide me off the shower.  
  
I stood quietly, letting him run the towel all over my body and through my hair to soak up the excess water. He was being so attentive and caring. I liked it. In fact, I liked it way too much.  
  
"All done..." He wrapped the towel around his waist without drying himself.

I really wanted to lean up and lick off the beads of water that were dripping over his shoulders, but my hand was grasped and I was pulled back into the bedroom before I could follow through on my intent.

I looked around the room, looking for my shirt. My eyes returned to Louis after I scanned the room and I drawled, watching him pull on some jeans.

"No boxers?" I asked as he tucked himself in and gingerly zipped himself up on a dark grin.

"No, I don't want any unnecessary obstructions." His tone was suggestive and very confident and I frowned.

"Obstructions?"  
  
He pulled a crisp white t-shirt over his wet hair and down his rippling abdominals and by then I was gawping.  
  
"Yes, obstructions." He confirmed in a low husk. He strode over to my naked form and wrapped his palm around the nape of my neck to pull my face close to his. "Get ready." He whispered, pressing his lips hard on mine.   
  
"Where's my shirt?" I asked against his lips and he released me.   
  
"I don't know." He said dismissively, casually striding out of the room.

 _What?_   _He must have taken it off because I was in no fit state to coordinate myself to take my clothes off._

I went into the bathroom to get my underwear, thinking that, at least I knew where that was but they were gone too and I realized he was playing games. 

I went to his walk-in-wardrobe and found, what I expected to be, the most expensive shirt on the rail. I slipped it on and made my way downstairs, finding him in the kitchen. He was sitting at the island, dipping his finger in a jar of peanut butter. His smile dazzled me as he looked up, his lips wrapped around a peanut butter covered finger.

"Come here." He ordered and I stood in the archway, naked except for a white dress shirt, and frowned at him.

"No." I declined, watching as his smile dulled into a straight line.

"Come. Here." He punctuated the words slowly.

"Tell me where my clothes are." I challenged.


	21. ღ XXI.

He narrowed his eyes at me and placed his jar of peanut butter, calmly and precisely, on the work surface. Those cogs started working hard again and his finger started tapping ferociously on the worktop as he stared me down.  
  
"You have three seconds." He declared, his voice dark, his face straight. I raised my eyebrows.   
  
"Three seconds for what?"  
  
"To get your arse over here." It was that fierce tone. "Three." My eyes widened. 

"What happens if you make it to zero?"  
  
"Do you want to find out?" He remained completely impassive. "Two." He didn't give me much time to run it over. "One."

I bolted towards his outstretched arms, colliding against his hard body. There was no mistaking the dark look of satisfaction I got a glimpse of before my head was buried in his neck. I didn't even know what would happen on zero, but I did know how much I loved his arms around me, so it was a no-brainer really. As my face nuzzled between his pecs and I traced my fingers over his back, I could hear his heartbeats slow under my ear. He exhaled and stood, placing me on the island, working his way between my thighs. He rested his palms on the tops of my legs.

"I like your shirt..." He skated his palms over my thighs.

"Is it expensive?" I asked on a pout.

"Very." He smirked. "What do you remember about last night?"

I was ridiculously drunk, shockingly brazen on the dance floor, and I could have admitted to myself that I was in love with him, but he didn't need to know the last revelation.

"You're a good dancer!" I said instead.

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for JT!" He shrugged it off swiftly. "What else do you remember?"

"Why?" I asked with a frown and he sighed.

"At what point do you draw a blank?"

"I don't remember getting home if that's what you're getting at... I do realize I was stupidly drunk and highly irresponsible..."

"You don't remember anything after the bar?"

"No..." I admitted.

"That's a shame." His sludgy eyes searched mine for something, no clue what.  
  
"What's a shame?"  
  
"Nothing..." He leaned down, kissing me tenderly on the lips, smoothing his palms over my face.  
  
"How old are you?" I asked as I looked him straight in the eye.  
  
He dipped his lips to mine again, coaxing them open and slowly swirling his tongue around my mouth before biting my bottom lip and tugging gently.   
  
"Twenty-six." He whispered, planting soft, skimming kisses all over my mouth.

"You missed twenty-five..." I mumbled, closing my eyes in complete contentment.  
  
"No, I didn't. You just can't remember asking me."  
  
"Oh. After the bar?" He rubbed his nose against mine.   
  
"Yes, after the bar." He pulled back and ran his thumb across my bottom lip. "You feeling better?"  
  
"Yes, you need to feed me..." I said and he laughed, planting a chaste kiss on my lips.   
  
"Are you making demands?"  
  
"Yes..." I said haughtily. "Get me my clothes."

He narrowed his eyes at me, making a play for my hip bone, squeezing it hard and sending me jolting across the worktop on a squeal.

"Who has the power, Harry?"

"What are you talking about?" I laughed around his torturous squeezes.

"I'm talking about how much easier we'll get along if you accept who holds the power."

"You do!" I exclaimed and he released me immediately.

"Good boy." He grabbed my hair and yanked me forward, landing me with a hard, forceful kiss. "Don't forget it."

I melted into him, absorbing his so-called power on a long drawn out sigh. All too soon, he left me on the worktop and returned a few minutes later with my underwear, clothes, and shoes. I scowled at him as I took them.  
  
"Don't look at me like that, young boy. You won't be wearing this shirt again, I can assure you. Put my shirt over it." He gave me my panties and jeans before leaving the kitchen to take a call while I laughed to myself. 

I threw my clothes on and rummaged through my pockets to try and find my contraceptive pills, but they were nowhere to be seen. I tipped out the entire contents of my pockets onto the worktop only to find I didn't put them in.

"You ready?" I turned to see Louis in the archway to the kitchen with his hand held out.

"Two seconds..." I stuffed my things back in my pockets and walked over, taking his outstretched hand.

"Lost something?" He asked, leading me out of the penthouse.

"No, I must have left them at home." He looked down at me with a questioning look. "My pills..." His eyebrows rose.

"It's a good job Cathy isn't here. You would give her a heart attack in those clothes."

"Cathy?"

"My housekeeper." He set about fastening the buttons of his shirt. "Better." He concluded with a small satisfied smile.

We entered but, soon, we exited the elevator and I was pulled through the foyer of Lusso, seeing Clive doing a double take as we passed.

"Morning, Mister Tomlinson!" He greeted cheerfully. "You look better this morning, Harry."

Louis nodded at Clive but didn't slow his long strides. I blushed profusely, smiling sweetly as I scuttled along, keeping up with Louis. I seriously doubted I looked better than the night before considering that my hair was damp and I was wearing the night before's clothes with Louis' shirt over the top.

I was bundled into the Aston Martin and he drove home at the usual hair-raising speed, while Ian Brown soothed my ears.  
  
Outside Niall's, I let myself out of his car and met him on the pavement. His eyes followed me until I was standing before him and he was looking down at me with those glorious blue eyes.   
  
I didn't want him to go, I wanted him to take me back to his tower in the sky and hide me there forever, in his bed, with him in it too. I was a slave to the man, I had been completely and utterly taken.

I stepped forward, pushing my front into his chest, tilting my head up to him. He stood casually, with his hands resting lightly in his jean pockets, his twinkling eyes watching me as I reached up on my tiptoes and brushed my lips over his. That was all it took for him to remove his hands from his pockets and heave me to his chest, plunging his tongue into my mouth, fiercely taking whatever he wanted. It was totally fine, he could have it. My arms found their way around his neck and I absorbed it all as he rolled and lapped at my mouth, completely consuming me.  
  
Trouble. So much bloody trouble.

Once he took what he wanted, he pulled away on a long exhale, leaving me breathless and wanting so much more. I turned on my unsteady legs, taking myself up the path to Niall's front door. I should smile, I was quite happy with myself and all the sex I had, but the ache in my gut was a screaming indicator that I couldn't ignore.

I turned to watch him drive off but found him close behind, looking down at me. My brow furrowed.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm coming in to wait for you."

"Where am I going?"

"You're coming to work with me." He replied as if I should know it.

_He's going to work? Of course, hotels don't close on weekends, but what am I going to do while he's working? Do I care as long as I'm with him?_

"You just kissed me goodbye..." I said and a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

"No, Harry, I just kissed you." He brushed a damp lock of hair from my face. "Get ready."

He ordered me about all over the place and I complied, mostly without a second thought. I really was a slave to him.

I walked into the lounge, with Louis in tow, to find Niall and Sam sprawled across the sofa, a tangle of semi-naked arms and legs, eating cornflakes. Neither of them made any urgent attempt to cover up.  
  
"Hey, my man!" Sam exclaimed when he looked up and saw Louis. Louis' eyes traveled over Sam's half-nakedness, a look of disapproval clear on his face. "How are you feeling, Harry?" He asked and I rolled my eyes. I was steaming drunk, but as it happened, I felt fine, Louis had fucked me better.

"Good..." I answered, glancing at Niall with a get-in-my-room-now look. "I'll be as quick as I can." I left Louis in the lounge and retreated to my room, pacing while waiting for Niall. Victoria's disclosure came back into my mind and I didn't know what to do. Niall entered the room, swanning in, looking all roughed up.

"Someone looks thoroughly fucked!" He laughed and I narrowed my eyes at him, having one more thing I needed to clear up first.

"Why did you tell Sam where I was?!" I spat accusingly and he recoiled.

"You're mad at me?"

"Yes... No... A little bit!" I was not mad in the slightest, I was a bit the night before, but not at that moment. He gave me a mischievous grin. "Don't look at me like that Niall Horan. What's going on with you and Sam?"

"Adorable, isn't he?" He winked. "It's just a bit of fun."  
  
Well, fun or not, he needed to know.

"You should know that Victoria saw him being doused in a frappuccino by some irate woman in Starbucks..." I pulled Louis' shirt over my head and my jeans, flinging them both to the floor. Niall rolled his eyes and scooped them up, placing them on my bed before flopping down on my duvet.

"I know. It's the crazy bitch ex-girlfriend."

"He told you?!" I couldn't keep the shock from my voice.

"Yeah, it's no big shakes."

"Oh..." I couldn't believe how laid back he was. Ever the calm and collective one, nothing fazed him. He looked up at me.

"You're not the only one getting a good seeing to..." He said seriously and I gaped at him. "It's written all over your face, Harry."

"I'm going to work with Louis." I grabbed my dryer to try and salvage the damp mess that was my hair.

"Have fun!" I heard him chant as he sashayed out of my room. I dried my brunette hair, ignoring the fact that I was rushing to get back to Louis.

When I looked back up to the mirror, an image of Louis propped up against my headboard smacked me in the face, his arms were casually braced behind his head, practically filling my double bed. I flicked my dryer off, turning to face the blue eyes burning holes into me, wanting to crawl up that bed and into him.

"Hey, baby." He looked me up and down.  
  
"Hey, yourself!" I grinned. "Comfortable?" He bounced himself lightly.  
  
"No, I'm only comfortable with one thing under me these days." His eyebrows rose suggestively.  
  
That look and those words had my knees quivering and coils of craving springing into every crevice of my body. I watched as he pushed himself up from my bed and walked slowly over to me, turning me to face my wardrobe. Reaching over one of my shoulders, he flicked through the rails of clothes, pulling out my cream shirt and black jeans.  
  
"Put this on..." He breathed in my ear. "And make sure there's lace underneath it."

I clenched my eyes shut and I reached forward, taking the hanger from him, moaning when his hand fell down and brushed over my nipples, his hips rolling forward into my lower back.

"Be quick." He slapped my bum lightly and stalked out, leaving me a wobbly mess and holding onto my clothes for support. I shook myself back to life, shivering on a little gasp, and finished getting myself ready. Pulling out every handbag I owned, I proceeded to search for my pills, but they were nowhere to be found. 

I found Niall in the kitchen making tea, still in just a t-shirt.

"Have you seen my pills?" I rummaged through the junk drawer in the kitchen, housing everything from batteries and phone chargers to nail polish.

"Aren't they in your work bag?"

"No..." I slammed the drawer on a frown.

"Have you checked all your bags?" Niall asked, walking out of the kitchen with two mugs of tea.

"Yes..." I proceeded to delve through every other drawer in the kitchen, even though I knew they couldn't possibly be in among the cutlery or utensils.

"Problem?" I looked up, finding Louis filling the doorway.

"I can't find my pills..." I tried, in complete vain, searching through my bag, but they were definitely not there.

"Find them later, come on." He put his hand out. "I like the outfit." He said softly, running his gaze up and down me as I walked towards him.

Of course, he did, seeing as he picked it.

He reached under to run his forefinger up the inside of my thigh, watching me as my lips clamped together and my hands flew up to his chest. He smirked dirtily and swept his finger inside my jeans, brushing my hole softly. I sighed.

'"Later." He withdrew his finger and I scowled at him.

"You have to stop doing that!"

"Never." He grinned, yanking me out of the kitchen. "Say goodbye to your friend."

"Bye!" I shouted. "He's your friend too, isn't he?" I didn't hit him with the little exchange he and Niall had in the bar the night before. He looked at me, his frown line skipping across his forehead. "At the bar, whispering in his ear!" I added casually and he opened the front door, ushering me out.

"He gave me a dig for fucking off, and I apologized. I don't offer apologies very often, so don't push it."

I laughed. 

I didn't expect he did, but he did, for me. He still hadn't explained where he disappeared to, though.

**ººº**

We drove out of the city, towards the Surrey Hills. I caught a glimpse of him, sometimes, watching me instead of the road. Each time, he smiled and squeezed my knee, which had his palm spread on it for most of the journey. I started thinking about how little I knew about him.

He was intense, quite volatile, incredibly self-assured and extremely rich. And he was wild in the sex department. But that was all I knew. I didn't even know how old he was.

"How long have you owned The Manor?" I asked and he threw me a curious arched eyebrow before turning down the music via the controls on his steering wheel.

"Since I was twenty-one."

"That young?!" I blurted, my tone clearly displaying my shock at his answer and he smiled brightly at me.

"I inherited The Manor from my Uncle Carmichael."

"He died?" I asked and his smile disappeared.

"Yes."

"How old are you, Louis?" I asked, wanting to know more.

"Twenty-seven." He said, completely impassive and I sighed.

"Why won't you tell me how old you are?!" I snapped and he looked over at me, grinning.

"Because you might think I'm too old for you and run a mile..."

I eyed him suspiciously across the car. He couldn't be that old and I just wanted to scream at him that I wouldn't be running anywhere.

"Okay, how many times have I got to ask you before we get to your real age?"

"A few..." He grinned.

"I'm twenty-six..." I tried for a bit of giving and taking as I watched him closely. He glanced at me.

"I know."

"How?"

"Your license."  
  
"You went through my bag as well as my phone?!" I cried incredulously, but he just shrugged and I shook my head in dismay. It was an unwritten rule and that man really didn't have any manners. "Do you think you're too old for me?" Given what he had done to me, I was guessing the answer was no, but as it seemed like such an issue, it was worth an ask.

"No, I don't." He kept his eyes on the road. "My issue is your issue." I frowned.

"I don't have an issue..." I said and he turned his handsome face towards me, all smoky eyed and glorious.

"Then stop asking me."

I rested my head back against the seat on a huff, watching the countryside pass us by. His age didn't bother me in the slightest, not at that moment, anyway. I didn't think there was anything that could change my mind on it. I turned towards him.

"What about your parents?" The straight line his lips formed as I immediately regretted the question.

"I don't see them." His tone sounded dismissive.

I sat back and said no more. His contemptuous approach made me all the more curious, but it also made me shut my trap.

We pulled up at The Manor and Louis flipped a switch on the dash, opening the gates. As we approached the courtyard, I saw Big John getting out of his Range Rover, in his usual black suit and wraparound sunglasses. He nodded in greeting as I got out of the car and walked around to Louis' side.

"What's happening, John?" Louis asked, taking my hand and leading me up the steps to The Manor's entrance. I shivered, thinking about the last time I was there when I run and thought I would never come back but there I was. I looked up at Louis as he clapped hands with Big John, turning all business-like.

"S'all good!" John rumbled, allowing Louis and me to pass before following us through to the restaurant. I was surprised at how quiet it was for ten o'clock on a Sunday morning in a hotel.

Louis stopped, turning to face me.

"What would you like to eat?" He was even talking to me all business-like.

"I'm not fussed..." I shrugged, feeling uncomfortable and beginning to wish I stayed on the sofa with a huge mug of coffee and a duvet.

_What am I going to do while he works, anyway?_

"What do you really fancy?" His expression softened.

"Smoked salmon." That was really easy.

"Bagel?" He asked, and I nodded. "Coffee?"

"Please."

"How do you take your coffee?"

"Cappuccino, extra shot. No chocolate or sugar."

"You'll eat in my office." 

"I'm easy." I shrugged. As soon as the words fell from my mouth, I snapped my eyes up, discovering twinkling blue pools of delight and a very dirty smirk. "Not a word!" I warned.

"It wasn't a question, Harry. John, give me twenty. Pete, did you get that?"

"I certainly did, Sir."

"Good. Bring Harry's breakfast to my office." He gave his orders out while staring at me with blazing blue eyes.

My hand was grabbed, and I was hauled through the hotel to his office. I jogged to keep up with him, and no sooner the door to his office was shut, my bag was tossed to the floor and I was thrust up against the back of it, my jeans down my thighs.

He buried his face straight in my neck, my arms flying up to grip his t-shirt, knowing what was coming. When he focused those blazing eyes on me, I knew what he was thinking but I was still caught off guard by his ferociousness. Slow, prepared build up, or hard, fast pounce, the effect was still the same. I was sucking in short, sharp breaths and ready to beg.

"I knew it was a bad idea bringing you here. I'm going to get nothing done." His husky voice drummed against my throat as he sucked greedily, his palms stroking up either side of my body, resting on my hips.

"I'll go then..." I breathed. "Shit!" The sharp thrust of his hips told me that was the wrong thing to say. The pressure of his body pushing me up against the door increased and his mouth crashed to mine.

"Watch your fucking mouth." He grated between strong, swift strokes of his tongue. "You're going nowhere, young boy." He bit my lip. "Ever. Are you moisturizing?"

"Yes..." I panted, grappling at his t-shirt. I only had to look at him and I was turned on.

His hands left my hips, disappearing south, and I heard the sound of his fly zipper being undone, his no obstruction comment perfectly clear. My panties were yanked to the side.

I had no time to brace myself for the hard and fast that was coming. He tugged one of my legs up to his waist, positioning himself and slammed into me, thrusting me up the door on a loud shout as I screamed, feeling pain and pleasure at the same time.

"Quiet!" He barked. He gave me no time to adjust as he pounded into me repeatedly, punishingly, over and over, sending me skyward with pleasure. I pressed my lips together to refrain from shouting out, dropping my head onto his shoulder in delirious despair. "Do you feel me, Harry?" He ground through gritted teeth and I thought I was going to pass out. He started working into me like a madman, urgently thrusting and gasping. "Answer the question!" He shouted.

"Yes! I feel you."

He hammered on, pushing me further and further into a mind spinning despair. I was a second from bursting, the one leg I was stood on off the floor from being pushed up the door.

"Does it feel good?"

"Oh God, yes!" I screamed as all breath left my lungs and I was assaulted by his greedy mouth.

"I said, quiet." He bit at my lip, the pressure bordering on painful.

The blazing fire attacking my core cracked fizzled and ruptured, pushing me into a fevered bliss as I came on a loud cry, his mouth capturing my screams as my mind went blank.

I shook uncontrollably against him but he drove on, shouting on his own explosion, his erection pulsing and jerking as he spilled himself deep inside me.

My head started spinning wildly as I was in complete awe of what that man did to me. He was a bloody genius.

"I might bring you to work every day." He breathed against my neck as he slowly pulled out of me, letting me slide down the door. "Are you okay?"

"Don't let go of me..." I mumbled into his shoulder, not finding my balance. He laughed lightly, wrapping his arm around my waist to steady me. I blew my hair out of my face and found his stunning eyes in my field of vision. "Hi..." I smiled.

"He's back." He pressed his lips to mine and picked me up, carrying me to the sofa and placing me down before he set about tucking himself in and refastening his fly.

While he collected my bag from the floor, I rearranged my jeans and flopped back on the sofa, a smile tickling the corners of my lips. The contrast of his persona, from wild and demanding to tender and attentive, was a real brain burner but I loved both sides. He was just way too good.

He came and sat next to me, pulling me in under his arm.

"I thought you could go up to the extension and start drafting some ideas..."

"You still want me to design?" I sounded confused, thinking it was all a ploy to get me into bed.

"Of course I do."

"I thought you just wanted me for my body!" I teased, earning myself a flicked nipple.

"I want you for a lot more than your body, young boy..."

"It's Sunday!" I pulled away from his embrace. "I don't work on Sundays. Anyway, I don't have any of my kit with me."

His frown line jumped onto his forehead as he reached over and yanked me onto his lap on a slight scowl.

"A pencil and a piece of paper?" He nipped my ear playfully. "I'm sure I can provide you with those, but I'll be deducting it from your final bill."

Essentially, yes, a few pieces of paper and a pencil was all I needed at the moment, but it was Sunday, I could think of a million other things I could be doing and would prefer to do. Besides, I didn't need to be sitting in the extension to start pulling ideas together.

But then I considered the possibility that he wanted me out of his office. He got his rocks off and then I was in the way but I couldn't even get in my car and go. I removed myself from his lap as the door knocked.

"Come in." He instructed, his questioning eyes resting on me and I ignored them. The grey-haired chap from the restaurant walked in with a tray and placed it on the coffee table. "Thanks, Pete." His probing eyes stayed on me.

"Sir." He nodded at Louis and flicked a friendly smile in my direction before leaving.

"Can I have some paper?" I asked, picking the tray up and throwing my bag over my shoulder.

"Are you going to eat your breakfast?" He stood, his brow still furrowed.

"I'll take it upstairs."

"Oh, okay." He walked over to his desk.

I tried my hardest to ignore his perfect jean-clad arse as he bent and opened a drawer, pulling out an art pad and a tin of drawing pencils.

He walked back over, handing them to me. I accepted, tucking them under the tray and making my way to the door.

"Hey, aren't you forgetting something?" 

I turned, finding his questioning look has morphed into more of a glare.

"What?" I asked, knowing what, but I was not in the mood to stroke his ego.

"Get your arse over here." He flicked his head and my shoulders dropped slightly. It was just easier, all around, if I gave him what he wanted and got out of his hair. I reached him, trying my hardest to put on a cheerful face, failing miserably. "Kiss me." He ordered, his hands draping casually in his jean pockets. I reached up on tiptoes and pushed my lips against his, ensuring I made it more than a peck but he didn't respond. "Kiss me as if you mean it, Harry."

He was not buying my half-hearted attempt to satisfy him so I sighed. I had a tray in my hands, my bag over my shoulder and a pad and pencil buried under the tray, what was proving to be tricky, especially when he was not assisting. I placed the tray and drawing equipment on his desk and delved my hands into his hair, pulling his face down to mine and it took a nanosecond for him to respond. Once our lips met, he took me completely, his arms snaking around my waist as he bent slightly to accommodate our height difference. I didn't want to enjoy it, but I did, way too much.

"Better!" He said against my lips. "Never hold out on me, Harry." He released me, leaving me feeling slightly dizzy and disorientated. Someone knocked on the door. "Go." He nodded at the door and I collected my things and left without a word.

I had a proper sulk on, knowing I was on dangerous ground, and I knew it. The man had 'broken-heart' written all over him. I opened the office door and found Big John waiting for me. He nodded, taking up position beside me to escort me upstairs.

"I know where I'm going, John..." I offered since he didn't need to flank me all the way up.

"S'all good, boy." He rumbled, continuing his long strides beside me, to the stairs.

When we reached the stained glass window at the bottom of the stairs to the third floor, I glanced up the wide staircase. At the top, there was a set of wooden doors with pretty circle symbols carved into the wood. They were closed and quite intimidating.

I was distracted from the imposing vastness of wood when I heard a door open. I looked over the landing, seeing a man walking out of a guest suite doing his fly up. He looked up, catching me staring and my face flamed as I looked at John, who was eyeing up the guy, shaking his head menacingly. A wave of worry washed over the guests face, and I scuttled off through the archway that led to the extension to try and escape the embarrassing situation. John did not look impressed.

Why some people thought it was acceptable to exit toilets and hotel rooms still arranging themselves was beyond me.

I let myself into the furthest room with the lack of furniture and I slid down the wall to my bum as John poked his head around the door.

"Ring Louis if you need anything." He grunted.

"I can go find him."

"No, ring Louis." He affirmed, closing the door.

Gazing around the shell of a room, I started nibbling at the salmon bagel, which I reluctantly admitted that was lovely. I tried to recall my specification. Sensual, stimulating and invigorating, which were not my normal brief, but I could work with it.I picked up the pad, slid a pencil out of the tin and began sketching large, lavish beds and sumptuous window dressings. Losing myself in some sketching was the perfect way to divert my mind from the more troubling thoughts that were swamping my poor brain.

A few hours later, my arse was dead and I had a rough draft of an amazing bedroom. I flicked the pencil over the paper, shading, and blending. That was sensual. He said a big bed was essential, and the huge four-poster, positioned in the middle of the room, screamed luxury and sensuality. I studied the picture, blushing at my own work.

_Jesus, it's almost erotic. Where has that come from? Maybe it's all the incredible sex I've been having._

The bed was dominating the room in a replica of one that I spotted at a reclamation yard a few months before with massive, chunky, wooden posts and a lattice style canopy, that would look amazing with some gold silk dressing it. I didn't know what to put on the walls because Louis didn't elaborate further than large, wooden wall hangings, probably something resembling what I saw in the other suite where Louis cornered me.

My line of thought was interrupted when the door opened and I was presented with Hannah's pouty face, making me inwardly groan.

This woman was everywhere Louis was.


	22. ღ XXII.

"Harry, what a pleasant surprise." She said, screaming liar all over.

She shut the door softly behind her and walked into the middle of the room as my unkind thoughts had me wishing he would take a tumble in the way. I really didn't like that woman as she brought out my inner bitch better than anyone I had ever known before.

"Hannah, it's nice to see you." I clasped a lock of my hair and started fiddling with it, as I considered her motives for paying me a visit.

She looked down at me since I was sitting on the floor and I noticed that her pouty red lips looked super inflated, showing she definitely had work done there. My sitting position, in relation to her standing position, had me feeling inferior to her. I would get up if my backside wasn't numb and I could be sure I wouldn't crumble back down to the floor in a heap.

"Working on a Sunday..." She mused as she gazed around the empty room. "Do all of your clients get the same special treatment you offer Louis?"

Her motive was suddenly very clear.

"No!" I smiled. "Just Louis." My unkind thoughts were justified, even though I knew she really disliked me, possible hated me.

"He's a bit mature for you, isn't he?" She folded his arms on her chest. I didn't want her to know that I was unaware of Louis' age because she undoubtedly knew and the fact that she did and I didn't, really bristled me.

"I don't think so." I retorted sweetly, really wanting to get up from the floor so the nasty bit of work wasn't looking down at me.

Her pouty face displayed an abundance of displeasure at me being there and that, strangely, had me feeling displeased about being there too. I thought that I really should have stayed at home, I didn't need that.

"So, what is it about my Louis that has you giving up your free time to work?" 

"I'm not sure what business that is of yours."

"Maybe, it's his money?" She rose his already stupidly arched eyebrow.

"I'm not interested in Louis' wealth." I retaliated shortly.

"Of course, you're not." She wandered over to the window, casually and cockily, before turning back to face me, her face as cold as her voice. "Be warned, Harry. Louis is not the sort of man you build your dreams on."

I stared her straight in the eye, trying to mimic her cold face and tone which was not hard, it came naturally to the horrible woman.

"Thank you for the warning, but I think I'm grown up enough to decide who I build my dreams on." My heart took a nosedive into my stomach as she scoffed mildly. It was in pity and it made me feel like crap.

"Little boy, jump out of your fairy tale and open your e-"

The door opened and Louis strode in. He looked at me slumped on the floor and at Hannah standing at the window.

"All right?" He asked Hannah and I recoiled on the inside.

_Why the hell is he asking her for? She's fine, stood over there throwing her warnings out. It's me, sat here with a dead arse, he ought to be asking._

I was even more stunned when Hannah plastered on a ridiculously fake smile and walked over to Louis.

"Yes, sweetie! Harry and I were just discussing the new rooms, he has some fabulous ideas." She rubbed his shoulder.

The satisfied smile Louis gave Hannah, before turning it on me told me he had believed like a blind twat.

"He's good." He said proudly, making me feel like some kind of child.

"Yes, very talented." Hannah purred, smiling slyly at me. "I'll leave you to it." She leaned up and kissed his cheek, making me burn with rage. "Harry, it was lovely to see you again." I mustered up the decency to smile at the beast.

"And you, Hannah." She left the room and me alone with Louis, hoping that she had detected the insicerity in my tone as I had never been more insincerity in my life.

_Why did I come here, and what role does that woman play in Louis' life? She's been here every time I have and she was at the Lusso launch too. Will I ever escape the wily cow? She wants me gone, and there is only one reason she would want that...she wants Louis._

The thought of Louis being with anyone else made my heart constrict in pain and made me want to hurt someone. I had never been the jealous type, nor clingy or needy but I could feel all of those new feelings racing to the surface, swamping my entire being, not leaving me very comfortable with it. I was in big trouble there, big, fucking, shitting trouble. Hannah said Louis wasn't the sort of man you build your dreams on and I thought I already knew that.

"Let's have a look then, young boy." He slid down the wall next to me, reaching over for the pad. "Wow! I love that bed."

"So do I..." I admitted sullenly, the enthusiasm for my idea had been sucked right out of me.

"What's all this?" He pointed to the canopy on the bed.

"It's a lattice design. All the wooden beams overlap to form a grid-like effect."

"So you can hang things from them?" He looked at me inquisitively.

"Yes, like material, or lights, maybe." I shrugged and his mouth formed an O as he grasped my concept. "What colors did you have in mind?"

"Black and gold."

"It's a good choice for the design."

"I love it..." He brushed his hand over the drawing. "When can we start?"

"It's only a draft. I have to do some mood boards, scale drawings, lighting plans, that sort of thing." I didn't know if I would be doing any of those things. I had fallen into a deep state of depression after being ejected from his office and warned off by Hannah so I had to seriously rethink what I was doing there. "Will you take me home?" His head shot up, his blue eyes laced with concern.

"Are you okay?"

I pushed my numb backside up from the floor, using every ounce of strength I had to plaster a smile, as fake as Hannah's, onto my face.

"I'm fine. I've got some work stuff to sort out for tomorrow."

"I thought you didn't work on weekends?"

"It's only work-ish."

"-ish?" He looked up at me with a small smile and I felt like I could cry.

"Yes, ish." I shrugged.

_Take me home so I can think without you there to distract me with your beautiful face and body._

"Okay." He got up from the floor with ease and handed me back the pad. "Are you sure you're okay?" He pressed and I maintained my fake smile.

"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" I fought my hand back to my side when it reached up to grab a piece of hair and he eyed me suspiciously.

"Come on then." He took my bag and filled my empty hand with his.

"The tray."

"Pete will get it." He dismissed my concern and led me out of the room, back downstairs.

I wanted to release my hand from his, but I didn't want to give him any reason to suspect I was anything other than fine. It was hard, especially when I was the furthest away from fine that I could possibly be. The more I touched him, the more attached to him I was becoming.

As we landed in the entrance hall, Louis glanced around nervously.

"Wait here, I need to get my phone and keys. Actually, go and get in the car, it's open." I frowned as he ushered me out of the door before he jogged off towards his office.

I took myself down the steps of The Manor, across the gravel to the DBS. Before I made it to the car, I heard the laughing of a certain acid-tongued, pouty-faced beast. I tensed from top to toe and swiveled on the gravel, only to find Hannah standing at the top of the steps with Louis.

"Okay, sweetie. See you later." Hannah reached up and kissed his cheek as I heaved. "Hope to see you again, Harry." She called.

Her icy stare penetrated me as Louis approached and gave me my bag before taking my hand again. I was put in the car, and as soon as the engine started, my ears were invaded with Radiohead's Creep, making me smile to myself.

_Yes, why I'm here, is a damn good question._

**ººº**

I left Louis with a chaste kiss and a look of trepidation all over his stunning face.

"I'll call you..." I said casually, jumping out of his car and I couldn't get away quick enough. I shut the car door and hurried up the path to Niall's house. I didn't look back, shutting the door swiftly behind me and sagging against it.

"Hey!" Niall appeared at the top of the stairs with a towel wrapped around his waist. "You okay?"

"No..." I admitted, not able to plaster the fake smile on anymore, I was past being okay.

"Tea?" He looked at me with a mixture of confusion and sympathy. I nodded, peeling myself from the door.

"Please don't be too nice to me..." I warned. Tears were threatening, and I was willing myself to keep them under control.

I knew that would happen, not so soon, but the nasty aching heart business was inevitable.

Niall smiled, knowingly, and jerked his head. I dragged myself up the stairs, finding him in the kitchen making tea. I collapsed in one of the mismatching chairs.

"Is Sam gone?" I asked as he spooned three sugars into his mug, and even though his back was turned away from me, I knew he was grinning.

"Yeah." He said, way too casually.

"Good night?" I decided to ask and he turned, narrowing his bright blues on me before he grinned.

"The man's an animal!"

I scoffed at his description of Sam, knowing there was a certain someone else I could nail that descriptor to.

"Good?"

He poured boiling water into the mugs and added milk.

"He's all right." He shrugged. "That's enough about me. Why did you leave this morning looking like you'd had a similar night to me, and return a few hours later looking like you've been slapped?" He took a seat, handing me my tea and I sighed.

"I'm not going to see him again..."

"Why?!" He cried and I looked up at a shocked pale face.

"Because, Niall, without a shadow of a doubt, I'm going to get stung really nastily. He's hazardous."

"How do you know that?" He asked incredulously.

"He's a mature businessman, way beyond rich and confident. I'm just a little plaything to him. He'll get bored, toss me away and move onto someone else." I huffed sarcastically. "Trust me... There will not be a shortage of men throwing themselves at his feet. I've seen the reaction he draws, I've experienced it. He's incredibly fierce in the bedroom, and bloody good with it, and that tells me he's not short of sexual conquests." I drew a breath, while Niall looked at me agape. "He's a man and woman magnet, possibly a manwhore. I'm already getting a reaction from Hannah." I slumped back in my chair, grabbing my mug of tea.

"Who's Hannah?"

"A friend, the one who I thought was the girlfriend. She doesn't like me, and she's made it perfectly clear."

"You're not seriously jumping the ship because of a few bitchy words from a woman scorned? Tell her to fuck off!"

"No, it's not just that, although I really don't need claws digging in my back." I took a sip as he rolled his eyes.

"My friend, you're blind!"

"No, I'm not. I'm sensible!" I defended myself. "And you're biased!" I spat. He made it perfectly obvious he liked Louis, but why I didn't know. "Why do you like him so much?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "There's just something about him, isn't there?"

"Yes, and it's dangerous."

"No, it's the way he looks at you! Like you're the center of his universe of something."

"Don't be stupid! I'm the center of his sex life." I corrected him, suddenly considering the fact that I could, quite possibly, be one of many men he was showing a good time.

The thought was painful and another reason to walk away while I was still partly intact.

_Oh, who am I kidding? I'm already in pieces, but it's only going to get worse the longer I let this go on._

"Harry, you're the master of denial." He scorned me lightly.

"I'm not in denial."

"Yes, you are!" Niall stated firmly. "You've fallen in love with him and it's easy to see why."

"I'm not in denial!" I affirmed because I didn't know what else to say to that. It should make the painful process easier to bear if I thought like that. "I'm going to lie down..." I pushed my chair away from behind my legs and it scraped along the wooden floor, making me wince at the piercing sound as the hangover was back with a vengeance.

"Okay..." Niall sighed.

I left him in the kitchen to retreat to the sanctuary of my room, flopping on the bed and pulling a pillow over my head.

I hated to admit it, but that pouty bitch was right. I couldn't build my dreams of Louis Tomlinson and just the thought was like a knife through my splitting heart.

**ººº**

I walked into the office for a fresh week, feeling anything but fresh. I didn't sleep a wink, and I was under no illusion as to why that was.

"Morning, flower!" Patrick called from his office, sounding better.

"Hi." I tried to sound chirpy but failed miserably, not even able to muster up the strength to feign cheerfulness. I threw my bag by my desk and sat down to fire up my computer.

Within five seconds, my desk was screaming in protest as Patrick took his usual pew.

"What's the state of play with Van Der Haus?" He asked, making it seem like that was a project that Patrick would keep a keen interest in.

I reached under my desk to retrieve the small box of material samples that I abandoned on Friday.

"These came on Friday..." I said, laying some on my desk. "He emailed me the specifics and sent the drawings over."

Patrick flicked through the pile of swatches, all in neutral tones of beige and creams, some patterned, some not.

"They're a bit boring, aren't they?" He grunted disapprovingly.

"I don't think so..." I pulled out a lovely, thick striped piece. "Look." He turned his nose up.

"Not my cup of tea."

"It doesn't have to be." I reminded him as he was not going to be buying a posh apartment in The Life Building. "Mister Van Der Haus is back from Denmark today. He said he would call about a site visit. I'm going to crack on if you don't mind."

Patrick stood, and I performed my usual wince as the desk creaked.

"Yes, you carry on!" He eyed me suspiciously. "Tell me to mind my own if you like, but you don't seem yourself. Is there anything the matter?"

"No, I'm fine, honestly." I lied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Patrick." I tried, and failed terribly, to sound sure.

My phone started jumping around my desk and Sam Sparro's Black and Gold blared around the office. I frowned, picking it up to see Louis' name flashing on the screen. He messed with my phone again. My heart fluttered and not in a good way.

I couldn't speak to him.

"I'll let you get that, flower. Keep that pretty little chin up. That's an order!"

Patrick left me as I silenced my phone, but no sooner had it stopped, it started replaying again. I pushed the button to shut it up, placing it on my desk and throwing myself into some work.

I found the email from Mikael. It was brief, but there was enough information for me to start compiling my designs.

Fifteen minutes later, my phone was still ringing and I was getting sick of the track and sick of reaching over to shut the damn thing up. I was delusional if I thought he was going to make it simple for me. My text alert started chiming, but instead of deleting it, which would be the sensible option, I opened it.

**ANSWER YOUR PHONE!**

_Oh, here we go._

Sam Sparro started playing up again, and I silenced my phone again, knowing I wasnever going to get any work done at that rate. Then there was another text.

**Harry, speak to me, please. What have I done?**

I popped it in my top drawer and tried to forget about him.

_What has he done? Nothing really, but I'm sure, if I give him the opportunity, he will. Or will he? Oh, I don't know. But instinct tells me to walk away._

"Sal, if anyone calls the office I'm on my mobile, okay?" I knew that would probably be his next move.

"Okay, Harry."

I started cracking on with my mood boards and drawings for Mikael. I didn't see the apartments, but I had a good idea of where I was going with it and, surprisingly to me, I was quite excited.

I popped to the deli at lunchtime to grab a sandwich, returning to the office to eat it. I was informed by Sally that a man called while I was out, but he didn't leave a message. Of course, I knew who it was, but I was on a roll and I didn't want to interrupt my momentum, so I disregarded his persistence. With Victoria and Tom out of the office all day on various appointments, I was not being sidetracked with drama from Victoria and seedy stories from Tom so I couldn't let Louis distract me as well.

I persistently ignored my phone, except when Mikael called to arrange a meeting for the day after. He was stuck in Denmark for the rest of the week, so I was meeting his PA at The Life Building at nine in the morning.

As six o'clock hit, I was satisfied with my productive day and glad I knuckled down as the day flew by. Crawling through the front door, I found an empty house, feeling absolutely shattered. It was a combination of the after effects from my Saturday night blow out and the Louis saga. I was rubbish at hangovers as they lasted longer than the average day for me.

My Monday night cheeky glass of wine would not be happening that night.

I took myself to my room and stripped down to the shower, gazing up at the ceiling for strength when my phone started ringing again. The man was not going to make it easy on me, I just knew it. But then I realized that it was not Black and Gold. I had endured the damn track all bloody day, knocking my phone to silent each time so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw 'Mum Mobile' flash up.

I listened to her for twenty minutes as she gave me the full itinerary of Liam's journey from Australia to Heathrow. Bottom line was that he would arrive the next Monday morning, spend the week in Newquay and return to London on Saturday. After checking all was well in Newquay, I went to take a shower. Sam Sparro started shrieking about Black and Gold again, and I turned my phone to silent again. If I couldn't hear it ring, then I wouldn't be tempted to answer the thing.

After my shower, I fell into bed and I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

**ººº**

"Wake up sleepy head!" Niall's shrill voice stabbed at my eardrums. I rolled over and looked at my clock.

In a blind panic, I clambered out of bed and tried to gain a bit of composure, noticing it was eight O fucking clock.

_I've slept for thirteen hours. Christ, I must have needed that._

"Why didn't you wake me?!" I yelled as I hot foot it across the landing to the shower.

I had to be at The Life Building in an hour to meet Mikael's PA.

"I was asleep myself!" Niall replied, all happy and fresh.

I soon found out why he was so happy when I collided with Sam's half-naked body coming out of the bathroom.

"Easy pumpkin!" He laughed, steadying me with his hands and I ripped my eyes away from his fine physic.

"Sorry!" I blurted, highly embarrassed, wondering if he always wandered around semi-clothed. His infectious grin revealed his cute dimple as he stepped to the side and bowed.

"It's all yours."

I darted in and slammed the door to hide my red face, but I didn't have time to dwell on my embarrassment. I jumped in the shower and washed my damp hair, pegging it across the landing in my towel to the safety of my room and flew around in a frenzy getting ready. I was glad I had such a good sort out, finding everything I needed at first look. I threw on my blush shirt, black jeans, nude converse and rough dried my hair before piling it up.

I had never got ready so quickly.

I took my phone off charge and cleared the forty-two missed calls from Louis before throwing it in my bag. Flying into the kitchen, I found Sam and Niall sitting at the table. Sam looked up from his bowl of cornflakes and grinned.

"Seen Louis?" He asked and I halted, mid-frenzy, and looked at him, still grinning at me.

"No, why are you asking me?"

"Have you been in your pit all night?" Niall asked, completely confused.

"Yes, I got in from work about six thirty and collapsed into bed. And you can't call it a pit anymore." I corrected him proudly. "Why?"

I watched as Niall looked at Sam, and Sam looked at Niall before they both looked at me, looking confused and slightly worried.

"You've not seen or spoken to him?" Sam asked, his spoon hovering in mid-air on its way to his mouth.

"No!" My tone was impatient, wondering what was the matter with them.I didn't plan on seeing or speaking to him ever again. "I'm not stitched to his hip!" I spat harshly.

"He rang me five times last night, looking for you..." Niall explained.

"Me ten!" Sam interrupted and Niall looked truly concerned.

"We got in about eight and assumed you were still at work. He was frantic, Harry. We tried calling you."

_Oh, I've not got time for this. What does he think happened to me? The man is neurotic, and I'm certainly not his concern._

"My phone was on silent. Anyway, as you can see, I'm alive and well so if he rings again you can tell him so." I huffed shortly. "I'm going, I'm late." I turned to leave the kitchen.

"When he stopped calling, I assumed you were with him!" Niall called at my back as I left.

"Well, I wasn't!" I shouted on my way down the stairs.


	23. ღ XXIII.

I arrived at The Life Building bang of time, in a bit of a fluster, to meet a petite blonde middle-aged lady in the lobby. She had a very pixie looking, with sharp features and cropped hair. Her plain black business suit did nothing for her pale complexion.

"You must be Mister Styles!" She held her pasty hand out to me. "I'm Ingrid. Mikael advised you that I would be here, yes?" Her Danish accent very strong.

"Ingrid, call me Harry, please." I took her hand, shaking it lightly since she looked so fragile. She smiled and nodded.

"Harry, of course!"

"Mikael called me yesterday to tell me he's held up in Denmark..."

"Yes, he is. I'll give you the tour. Works are not quite finished so you'll need to put these on." She handed me a yellow hard hat and hi-visibility vest.

I slipped on the safety kit while considering what I looked like. I entered in panic for a moment, worried that she would make me put on some steel toe cap boots, but she pressed the button for the elevator and my worries disappeared.

"We'll start in the penthouse. It's very similar to the layout of Lusso." The elevator arrived and we stepped inside. "You're familiar with Lusso, of course." She smiled, revealing a mouth full of straight teeth, making me like her, immediately.

"Yes, I'm familiar with Lusso..." I returned her friendly smile.

I snapped a lid on my thoughts immediately, not letting them drift to Louis. I repeated my mantra that I shouldn't think of him, all the way to the penthouse, while Ingrid explained the minor differences between Lusso and The Life Building, which were not many. The elevator opened straight into the penthouse where I found one of the differences. Lusso had a Penthouse foyer and another for the underground parking.

"Here we are. After you, Harry"

I took her direction, walking into a vastness I was familiar with. The size of the Penthouse was almost exact to Lusso. It looked bigger at the moment, standing an empty shell, but I recalled Lusso feeling the same.

"You can see we used oak here. All of the windows and doors are bespoke and made using sustainable wood. I'm sure Mikael has advised you of this part of the specification in the email he sent you." I glanced at her and she probably caught my blank expression because she laughed, shaking her head. "He didn't mention it in his email?"

"No..." I replied, praying that I read it properly, and in full.

"You'll have to forgive him. He's slightly sidetracked with his divorce."

_Divorce? Oh, is that what's holding him up in Denmark? I think it's slightly inappropriate that she's told me such a private part of Mikael's personal life. Everyone is being so open and honest these days. Or am I just being closed and guarded?_

"Consider me advised." I smiled.

Over the next few hours, Ingrid walked me through the entire building. I took photographs of the spaces, making notes en-route.

The Life Building housed the same luxuries Lusso offered to its residents, a luxury health club, a twenty-four-hour concierge and the latest security systems. The list went on. Mikael and his partner certainly knew how to deliver on modern, luxury living. The views over Holland Park and the city were incredible.

We found ourselves back in the main foyer.

"Thank you for the tour, Ingrid!" I removed my fetching hat and vest.

"You're welcome, Harry. Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, I'll wait to hear from Mikael."

"He said he would call you on Monday!" She said as she shook my hand.

We said our goodbyes, and I left Ingrid and The Life Building, heading back to the office. I called my doctor on my way,needing to replace my pills, still wondering where they had gone. I got an appointment at four o'clock that day, which was a relief, not that I planned on having much sex anytime soon considering I had enough to see me through for a while.

"Afternoon!" I sang to Tom and Victoria as I walked into the office. Tom frowned and glanced at the clock.

"Oopsie! I'm late for Miss Baines. She'll be having kittens!" He jumped up from his desk, straightening his yellow and blue, stripy tie, which wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't sporting an orange shirt, and tweaked his blonde quiff. "I'll be back after I've pacified the loopy old bird!" He chanted, collecting his man-bag and dancing out of the office.

"Bye!" I called, landing at my desk. "You okay, Victoria?" I asked, seeing her daydreaming. "Hello?" I called.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was miles away. What did you say?"

"Are you okay?" I prompted and she smiled brightly, flicking her long blonde locks over her shoulder.

"I couldn't be better."

I wondered if her good mood had something to do with a certain standoffish, smart-suited man called Drew. I hadn't seen her since Saturday night, but from what I recalled, before drunkenness rendered me stupid, she and Drew were looking rather friendly.

"And why is that?" I asked on a raised brow and she giggled like a little girl.

"I have a date with Drew on Friday night."

I knew it, although I still couldn't wrap my brain around ditsy Victoria and serious Drew.

"Anywhere nice?" I asked and she shrugged.

"He didn't say. He just asked if he could take me out." Her mobile rang and she excused herself by waving it at me.

I turned my attention to my computer, silencing my phone when it started blurting Black and Gold. It was becoming automatic to just reach over and press the button on the side without even looking. After it shouted at me three times on the bounce, I turned the sound off altogether.

The man was a persistent pain in the arse.

"I'm off!" Victoria called, getting up from her desk. "I'll be back about four."

"I won't see you. I have a doctor's appointment at four."

"Oh?" She glanced over on her way out.

"I lost my pills." I offered and she pulled a face that told me she had been there and done that. It made me feel slightly better about being so careless.

I started filtering through my emails and took some copies of drawings to send to my contractors.

When it hit three o'clock, I went to make the coffee. Sally always did it, but I was relieved to ease my eyes from my bright computer screen.

"Harry?" I heard Sally call me. I poked my head around the kitchen door, seeing her waving the office phone. "A man on the phone for you, he won't say who he is." My heart jumped into my throat.

"Is he on hold?"

"Yes, shall I put him through?"

"No!" I yelled and poor nervous Sally flinched. "I'm sorry. Tell him I'm out of the office."

"Oh, okay." She looked all wide-eyed and confused as she pushed a button on the phone to connect her back to Louis. "I'm sorry, Sir. Harry is out of the offi-" She jumped a meter into the air, dropping the phone onto her desk with a loud clatter. She scrambled to pick it up again. "I...I...I'm...I'm...sor...sorry, Sir..." She was stuttering and stammering all over the place, a good indication that Louis was yelling down the phone at her. I felt riddled with guilt for putting her through it. "Sir, please...I...I assure you...he's...he's not here."

I watched as she freaked out at her desk, looking at me wide-eyed and stunned as she was verbally assaulted by Mister Neurotic. I smiled apologetically, thinking I should buy her some flowers. She dropped the phone back into the cradle, looking at me in shock.

"Who was that?" She asked, almost crying.

"Sally, I'm so sorry!" I quickly grabbed the coffees from the kitchen, the only peace offering I could lay my hands on at the moment, and dropped Patrick's on his desk, exiting sharply before he could strike up a conversation. I took Sally's coffee to her desk and placed it on her coaster. "I'm so sorry." Sally blew out a long exasperated breath.

"Someone needs a cuddle!" She started giggling and I was completely stunned on the spot. I was expecting tears and a nervous breakdown. Instead, dull as dishwater Sally had just cracked a joke.

I looked at the mousey plain Jane chuckling, and I started laughing too, a proper bend over, tears in my eyes, stomach cramping belly laugh. Sally joined me in my hysteria as we both fell apart all over the office.

"What's going on?" Patrick's voice called from his desk.

I waved my hand in the air to him and he rolled his eyes, returning to his computer on an exasperated head shake. I couldn't tell him, even if I was in a fit state to talk. I left Sally crying and headed for the toilet to sort myself out.

When I had gathered myself together, I let Patrick know that I was off for a doctor's appointment.

"I'm sorry, Sally, I can't look at you!" I spluttered as I passed her desk and left the office, hearing her laughing again. I composed myself and made my way to the tube.

**ººº**

After receiving a lecture about carelessness from Doctor Monroe, our life-long family doctor, she gave me a prescription for my pills and sent me on my way, but not before checking how Mum and Dad were getting on in Newquay. With Dad's health being the main reason for their winding down from the big city, she was keen to hear all was well.

I stopped off at the chemist on the way home, rolling in the door at just before six. It made a change to be home so early. I was surprised to find Niall wasn't home, but Margo was parked up outside so I knew he was not delivering cakes.

I showered, changed into my shorts and vest, and blow-dried my hair roughly. When I was done, I grabbed my phone from my bag and rolled my eyes at the twenty missed calls and, rather sensibly, deleted the five texts without reading them. It started silently flashing in my hand as I walked through to the kitchen. He was clearly not used to rejection, and he clearly didn't like it.

My wine bottle clattered against my glass, mid-pour when I jumped out of my skin at an almighty bang on the front door.

"Harry!"

"Oh, God..." I muttered to myself.

"Harry!" He roared, banging again.

I hurried through to the lounge, looking out of the blind to see Louis staring up at the window, looking frantic.He could stay out there all night, if he liked, I was not answering the door.Being face to face with him would be a huge mistake. I watched as he held his phone to his ear and mine started flashing in my hand again. I rejected it and looked on as he glanced at his phone in disbelief.

"Harry! Answer the fucking door!"

"No!" I snapped, watching him pace down the path to the road. I nearly had heart failure when I spotted Sam pull up in his Porsche and Niall got out.

He approached Louis, who was waving his arms around like a loon, as Sam joined them on the pavement and rubbed his shoulder in a gesture of comfort. They talked for a few moments before Niall led them up the path to the front door.

"No, Niall!" I shouted at the window. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

I stood like a complete lemon in the lounge, hearing the front door swang open, smashing against the wall behind it, and then the stamping of heavy feet flying up the stairs. He crashed through the lounge door, the anger on his face turning to relief before reverting back to pure fury again. His grey suit looked perfectly smooth and unaffected, unlike his disheveled hair and sweaty brow.

"Where the fuck have you been?!" He blasted me with his shout, his breath, literally, breezing past my ears. "I've been pulling my fucking hair out!"

I stood staring at him, completely dumbstruck, having no idea what to say, but wondering if he was under some sort of illusion that I was answerable to him. Niall and Sam approached from behind him, all quiet and apprehensive. I looked at Niall, shaking my head,dying to ask him if he liked that Louis.

"We're just gonna pop down at The Cock for a drink..." Sam said quietly, grabbing Niall's hand and pulling him down the landing. Niall didn't try to stop him. I watched them leave, mentally cursing their chicken arses for leaving me alone to deal with the crazy man.

He seemed to be taking a few calming breaths, looking up at the ceiling in weariness, before returning his blazing gaze to mine, it penetrating me deeply.

"Does someone need a reminder?"

I thought I probably had a carpet burn on my chin because my jaw had just plummeted to the rug. It really was all about sex to him. His self-assuredness was shocking and his opinion of me inexcusable.

"No!" I shouted, steaming past him into the kitchen, needing a drink.I heard him follow me, watching as I chucked my phone on the worktop and yanked the bottle of wine up. "You're a complete bastard!" I yelled, pouring my wine with shaky hands, boiling mad. I swung around and fired him my most evil look. He actually winced slightly, which filled me with immense satisfaction. "You've got what you wanted. So have I. Let's not fuck about." I spat.

I didn't have what I wanted, not in the least bit, but I ignored the voice in my head screaming that at me. I needed to stop it before I got dragged any further into the intensity that was Louis Tomlinson.

"Watch your fucking mouth!" He shouted. "What are you talking about?! I haven't got what I wanted!"

"You want more?" I quickly swag my wine. "Well, I don't, so stop hounding me, Louis! And stop shouting at me!" I went for brutality, but I feared I probably sounded pretty pathetic in my attempt although something had to work. I took another huge gulp of my wine, jumping when it was swiped from my hand and tossed in the sink. I winced at the shattering of glass that cracked through the air.

"You don't have to drink like a fucking fifteen-year-old!" He yelled and my fists balled at my sides as I used all of my willpower to calm myself down.

"Get out!" I screamed as my attempts were failing miserably, I was becoming frantic, desperate.

I shrank when he roared in frustration, throwing his fist into the kitchen door, leaving a huge dent in the wood.

I stood there, eyes bulging and lips sealed firmly shut as I watched his fierce reaction to my rejection. He turned to face me, shaking his head a little and looked me square in the eyes, his sludgy stare attacking me.

I was about to go to the freezer to get some ice, but he started to stalk towards me. I braced my hands behind me on the edge of the worktop and watched him gain on me until we were front to front. He leaned forward, placing his hands over mine, effectively trapping me.

Breathing heavily in my face, he scowled at me, and then smashed his lips onto my mouth. My breath was literally sucked out of me as I withered under him, trying to free myself.

_What's he doing? Actually, I know exactly what he's doing. He's going to hit me with a reminder fuck. I'm so screwed._

He pushed his lips harder against mine, but I didn't accept his kiss, telling myself that that was bad, so bloody wrong and that I was going to be hurt even more if I accepted it, I knew I would.I half-heartedly tried to free myself, but he growled low in his throat, his hands tightening on mine, letting me know I wasnot going anywhere. My desperate attempted to halt it was being seriously hindered by his sheer determination to break me down.

His tongue skimmed my bottom lip as I continued to deny him access, shuddering in an attempt to fight off the reactions he was drawing from me. I knew if he gained entry, it would be game over, so I stubbornly kept my lips locked shut while mentally pleading for him to give up.

When he released one of my hands, I instantly grabbed his bicep to push him away, but it was no good. He was a powerhouse of a man and a determined one at that. He was not affected in the slightest by my meager attempts to free myself.

He grabbed my hip tightly and I jerked under him, but I was pressed back into the worktop. I was completely trapped, but I still defiantly rejected his kiss, keeping my lips shut tight. I turned my head away when he eased up a bit.

"Stubborn boy." He muttered, pressing his lips against my neck, licking and nibbling his way down to the hollow, circling long, wet strokes before working his way up to my ear and biting at my lobe.

I squeezed my eyes shut, pleading with my self-control to resist his irresistible touch. My fingernails were digging into his tense upper arm and my lips were locked shut for fear of letting out a cry of pleasure. His hand left my hip and moved slowly across my stomach, skimming the waistband of my shorts.

"Please. Please, stop!" I cried.

"You stop, Harry. Just stop." Slipping his index finger under the material, he traced left to right, in slow, soft, measured strokes while continuing the invasion of his lips on my ear and neck.

The warm friction buckled my knees, sending violent quivers over my entire body. I heard him laugh lightly, deep at the back of his throat, sending vibrations down my spine and a slow steady beat to my core. I clamped my thighs together, moving my hand from his arm to his chest and pushing in total vain.

I didn't even know why I was bothering as I was a heartbeat away from surrendering to him. He was persistently pursuing me in lust, and I had fallen hard for him, really hard. My head felt like it could explode, and I was not sure if it would be in pleasure or confusion. I was so bloody confused.

When his lips reached mine again, I still resisted, trying my hardest to block it all out. My poor brain was being thrown a million different commands. 

Fight him, resist him, accept him, kiss him, knee him in the bollocks.

And then his hand was delving into my knickers, his fingers separating me, causing electricity to spark violently through me. He brushed over my hole, so very gently. I jerked, my mouth opened and I let out a cry of pleasure. He took full advantage of my lapse in willpower, thrusting his tongue into my mouth, exploring and lapping every corner, his thumb slowly circling my burning core. I kissed him back.  
  
"Let my hand go." I panted, flexing the muscles in my arm.  
  
He knew that he got me because my hand was released on a moan and he was gripping the nape of my neck immediately. I threw my arms around his neck to pull him closer to me, just like that.

His hips thrust against his hand, increasing the pressure of his assault on my core and his fingers entered me. My muscles gripped him hard as I moaned. He pulled away from me, gasping and heaving, looking at me through his hooded, glazed eyes.

"I thought so." He said, his husky tone pushing my building orgasm higher.

He crashed his lips back on mine, and I accepted it, all of it. Once again, I was a slave to that beautiful, neurotic man. My willpower had diminished and my weaknesses had been weakened.

I ran my hands across his suited back, my fingers delving into his brown hair as he continued his excruciatingly slow, controlled drives with his fingers.

_I could cry with pleasure and frustration, but how can I resist this? I'll never escape him._

Since I stopped fighting him, his tongue was working my mouth at a calmer, steadier rate. The hotness of our combined mouths felt natural and absolute. My thighs tightened with the building orgasm threatening to attack me from every direction, and my grip of his hair increased. He got the message, hardening his kiss, the strokes of his fingers and thumb becoming firmer as I was bulldozed by pleasure and rocketed skyward. My mind went blank, except for the bliss of release riding through me. I bit his lip and he groaned.

His strokes eased up, and I released his lip from my clenched teeth. I tasted blood, but my eyes didn't open to confirm it, it would serve him right.

"Remember yet?" He whispered softly against my lips and I sighed, pulling my heavy eyes open to meet his blue gaze. I didn't answer him as he knew the answer to that question, but, as always, I never forgot. He didn't demand an answer, he just leaned down, dropping a gentle kiss on my mouth, my tongue sweeping across his bottom lip, licking away the small drops of blood that drawn.

"I've made you bleed..."

"Savage." He breathed, pulling his fingers slowly out of me and sliding them into my mouth. He watched me closely as I ran my tongue over them, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth and he lifted me onto the counter.

He got want he wanted again, me, surrendering to him.

"Why do you keep running away from me?" His eyes searched mine as he rested his hands on either side of my thighs, bending his body, leaning in.

I dropped my head, not able to look at him.

_What can I tell him? That I've fallen in love with him? Perhaps I should, he might freak out and leave me alone._

I shrugged instead.

He placed his index finger under my chin and tipped my head back up so I was forced to confront his achingly handsome face. He rose his eyebrows at me expectantly.

"Talk to me, baby..."

"I don't know..." 

He rolled his eyes and slapped my hand away from the piece of hair I was coiling around my finger.

"You're a shit liar, Harry."

"I know!" I huffed, knowing I had to sort that bad habit so quickly.

"Tell me, now..." He demanded softly and I sighed.

"You're distracting me. I don't want to get hurt."

_There, I'm not lying. That's true. I just left out the minor, major detail of my feelings for him._

I looked at him as he chewed his bottom lip, the cogs of his mind going into overdrive. He didn't know what to say to that, I was so glad I didn't hit him with the love bomb.

"I see..." He said flatly. "I'm a distraction?" He asked.

"Yes!" I scowled and he pouted.

"I like distracting you."

"I like you distracting me too..." I mumbled sulkily. I noticed he ignored the hurt comment, going straight in on the distraction tactics.

"What am I distracting you from?"

"Being sensible..." I replied quietly, the intoxicating effect he had on my body setting deeper into my mindset and he smiled, completely satisfied, his eyes dark and promising again.

He said he would make me need him, and he was keeping true to his word.

"I'm going to distract you some more now. We need to make friends." His low voice was sparking off my desire for him all over again as he grabbed me under my bum and slid me off of the worktop to straddle his waist.

"Didn't we just make friends?"

"Not properly. We need to make friends properly. It's the sensible thing to do. We don't run anymore, Harry."


	24. ღ XXIV.

I smiled and wrapped my arms around his back as he walked us out of the kitchen, into my bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him. He placed me on the end of the bed, pulling my shirt up over my head. He smiled, looking down into my eyes and tossing my shirt on the floor. He started pulling at the waistband of my shorts, encouraging me to lift my bum so he could draw them down my legs, taking my knickers with them.

"Stay there." He ordered, reaching up and pulling at his tie. Sparks of anticipation ricocheted all around my body as I watched him slowly undress in front of me. His jacket followed his tie, then he slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

The flex of his ripped chest had me virtually dribbling as he stood before me, taking painfully long to undress. My eyes were automatically drawn to the sight of his scar, desperate to know where it came from.

"Look at me, Harry."

My eyes flew straight to his, those sludgy pools of blue watching me carefully as he removed his shoes, socks, and trousers, before finally dragging his boxers down his legs, his erection springing free, at eye level to me. If I reached forward and opened my mouth, I would have the upper hand, which would make a nice change. I glanced up at him, catching a wicked grin and blazing eyes.

"I'm desperate to be inside you after looking for you for the last two days..." He said darkly. "I'll look forward to fucking your mouth later. You owe me."

A powerful thud crashed into my core as he leaned down and curled his arm around my waist before crawling up the bed above me and placing me down gently beneath him. My thighs were spread by his knee, and he cradled himself between them, resting his forearms on either side of my head as he looked down at me with soft eyes. I could weep. Any plans I had of walking away before it was too late were totally obliterated. It was already too late, and his determination to have me, as and when he pleased, was not doing me any favors.

"You won't run away from me again..." He said softly but firmly. I knew I had to answer it so I shook my head and reached up to his shoulders. "You need to answer me, Harry..." He whispered as I felt the broad head of his erection pushing at my hole, causing a ridiculous amount of heat to plague me.

"I won't..." I confirmed.

He nodded, holding my gaze as he slowly drew back and drove forward, plunging deeply into me. I moaned and adjusted my grip on his shoulders, shifting under him. The fullness felt incredible, and I became used to him fast. He blew out a long controlled breath of air, the concentration frown flickering across his brow shiny with sweat and heavy on his forehead.

I resisted the urge to contract around him. His eyes were closed, his long lashes fanning, his head dropped to mine as he battled to compose his erratic breathing. I waited patiently for him to sort himself out, running my hands up and down his firm upper arms, more than happy to lay there looking at that beautiful, neurotic man so closely.

He knew I needed gentle Louis.

After a few moments, he gathered himself together and lifted his head back up to look at me and my heart constricted in my chest, making me realize once more how in love I was.

"This is what happens when you deny me. Don't do it again." He lifted his upper body to brace his arms, then lazily dragged back and gradually drove forward. I purred as he repeated the delectable move, over and over, watching me the entire time. "You need to think about this, Harry. When you're tempted to run again, think about how you feel right now. Think about me."

"Yes." I breathed, struggling to dampen down a fast buildup of pressure.

I wanted to carry on like that forever, wanted to feel like that forever. It was exactly why I had been avoiding him, I was weak and feeble in my attempts to brush him off. 

_Or is he just determined? Well, either way, I always end up at square one again... giving myself to this man._

I rocked my hips up to meet his every thrust, and he lowered his mouth to mine, taking my lips leisurely and lazily, matching his blazing hip rhythm with his tongue. I whimpered, digging my nails into his arms.

_I've got to stop marking him and drawing blood. The poor man is mistreated almost every time._

He drove slowly forward, circling deeply and withdrew lazily, time and time again.

_I can't hold out for much longer. How does he do this to me?_

"Does that feel good?" He whispered.

"Too good..." I gasped on a lazy grin.

"It does. Are you there, young boy?" He asked against my lips and I nipped his tongue.

"I'm there."

"I've got you, baby. Let it go."

The racking shudder that coursed through my body had me clench around Louis' arousal, shaking wildly against him as I moaned my release into his mouth. The last, deep thrust, followed by a jerk and hot sensation flooding me, signaling Louis' release. He held himself deep and clenched his eyes shut, while paying loving attention to my mouth, moaning long and low. The pulsating of him triggering my muscles to tense around him, all in time to his throbs.

"God, I've missed you..." He whispered, burying his face in the crock of my neck and nuzzling before rolling onto his back. He held his arm up and I moved into his warm, firm chest, resting my cheek on his pec.

I was so screwed, totally fucking screwed.

"I love sleepy sex with you..." I mused dreamily.

"That wasn't sleep sex, baby..." He brushed my hair from my face with his spare hand.  
  
"What was is then?" I asked and he kissed my forehead gently.  
  
"That was catching up sex."  
  
"I like catching up sex then."  
  
"Don't like it too much. It won't happen very often." A stab of disappointment pierced me.   
  
"Why?"

"Because, young man, you won't be running away from me again, and I don't plan on being away from you very often either." He inhaled in my hair. "If ever..."  
  
I smiled to myself, throwing my leg over his thighs. He clasped my knee, rubbing circles over my skin with his thumb, while I traced my fingers across the surface of his scar, compelled to know how he got it. He didn't mention it, expect to warn me off asking, but it was not like it could be overlooked. I needed to know more about him.  
  
"How did this happen?" I asked as I followed the line around to his side and he inhaled tiredly.  
  
"How did that happen, Harry?" His words left no room for movement or interrogation on the matter and I knew he didn't want to talk about it.

"Nothing..." I whispered softly, making a mental note not to ask again.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" He asked in a blatant change of subject tactic.

"It's Wednesday, I'm working."

"Take the day off."

"What, just like that?"

I felt him shrug.

"Yes, you owe me two days."

He made everything sound so straightforward. It was okay for him, with his own business and no one to answer to. I, on the other hand, had clients, a boss and a pile of work to do.

"I have too much to do. Besides, you abandoned me for four days." I reminded him.

"Come with me now then..." He squeezed me in a little bit more and I knew I wouldn't get an explanation on why he left for four days.

"Where?"

"I've got to shoot over to The Manor, sort a few things out with John. You can have some dinner while you wait for me."

_Not a chance! I'm not going to The Manor, I'm not waiting for him in the restaurant while he sees to business and I'm not risking bumping into old pouty lips._

"I think I'll stay here, I don't want to get in your way..." I said quietly, hoping he wasn't going to push it.

_Another standoff with Hannah will not be a good way to end the day, the devious, interfering cow. What has Louis' personal life got to do with her?_

I was rolled onto my back with my wrists pinned to the side of my head as Louis loomed over me.

"You won't ever be in my way." He rested his lips in the middle of my chest and trailed kisses across to my nipple. "You'll come." My nipple lengthened under his gentle, swirling tongue, my breathing fluttering.

"I'll see you tomorrow." I forced the words through pants.

His teeth clamped lightly onto my nipple as he looked up at me, grinning.

"Hmmm, sense fuck?" He offered.

_Oh, no. I'll take the fuck, but I'm still not going to The Manor. Although, if he starts fucking his so-called sense into me, then I'm screwed in more than one way. He can make me say anything. Well, he can do that pretty much all of the time, but especially during a sense fuck._

I heard the front door crash open and the laughter of Niall and Sam coming up the stairs. I looked down at Louis still clamped around my nipple, the frustration marring his face having me secretly pleased. While I would take a sense fuck anytime, the sense he aimed at fucking into me, on that particular occasion, made no sense at all. He huffed childishly, releasing my nipple.

"I don't suppose you can keep your mouth shut while I fuck some sense into you?" I rose my eyebrows as he knew that was impossible."For fuck's sake..." He grumbled, pushing himself up, making a point of brushing his knee up the inside of my thigh and over my moist center, the friction having me wanting to yank him back down to me, and not wanting to let him go. He leaned down and kissed me hard and purposefully. "I've got to go. When I call you tomorrow, you'll answer the phone."

"I will..." I confirmed obediently. He smiled darkly and grabbed my hip. I squealed like a little boy and flipped myself onto my front. Then I felt the sting of his palm meeting my backside. "Ouch!"

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, young boy." The bed shifted as he got up.

When I turned over, his shirt was on his back and he was working the buttons.

"Will Hannah be at The Manor?" I blurted before my brain filtered the stupid question. He paused briefly before picking up his boxers and stepping into them.

"I hope so, she works for me."

"You said she was a friend..." I sounded whiny and I mentally slapped myself for it. He frowned.

"Yes, she's a friend and she works for me."

I rolled out of bed and found my shirt and shorts.

_No wonder she's always loitering about. Should I tell him that she's warned me off? No, he probably wouldn't appreciate immature, petty jealousies. God, I hate that woman._

I yanked my vest and shorts on and turned to find Louis pulling his suit jacket on while watching me thoughtfully.

"Are you going to put some clothes on?" He asked, looking me up and down. I looked down at my shorts and shirt combo and back up to him. His eyebrows were raised.

"I'm at home."

"Yes, and Sam is out there."

"Sam doesn't seem to think anything of walking around in his pants. At least I'm covered."

"Sam's an exhibitionist." He grumbled, walking over to my wardrobe and flicking through the rails. "Here, put this on." He handed me a chunky knit, oversized, cream jumper.

"No!" I spluttered in disgust.

"Put the jumper on." He thrust it closer to me with a determined, dirty look.

"No!" I said it slowly and concisely.

I snatched the jumper from him and threw it on the bed, watching as he followed its path through the air. He looked at it sprawled on the bed, then slowly returned his eyes to mine. His teeth were going ten to the dozen, chewing his bottom lip.

"Three!" He grated and my eyes widened.

"Are you winding me up?"

"Two." He ignored me.

"I'm not putting the jumper on." I still didn't know what happened at zero, but it looked like I was going to find out.

"One." His lips pressed into a straight line of displeasure.

"Do what you like, Louis. I'm not putting that jumper on." His eyes narrowed.

"Zero."

We stood opposite each other, him with an expression of genuine fury mixed with a bit of delight, and me wondering what the hell he was going to do since he reached zero. I scanned the room, looking for an escape, but there was only one, and I had to get past Louis to make it there.

He shook his head, exhaling a long, lung full of air, and then he made his move. I darted across the bed to escape, getting caught up in the mountain of sheets and squealing when I felt his warm palm wrap around my ankle. He yanked me across the bed.

"Louis!" I cried as he flipped me over and straddled me, pinning my arms under his knees. "Get off!" I blew my hair out of my face, finding him looking down at me, his face deadly serious.

"Let's clear something up." He removed his jacket, threw it on the bed and picked up the jumper. "If you do what you're told, our lives will be a lot easier. All this..." He stroked his palms over my torso and pinched my nipples through my shirt, making me yelp. "Is for my eyes only." He moved his hands behind him and dug his fingers into the hollow above my hips bone.

"NO!" I screamed. "Please, no!" I started laughing.

He continued with the digs and squeezed, sending me on a wild bucking mission. I couldn't breathe. I was between laughter and crying at the torturous assault, my bladder set to burst.

"Louis, I need the toilet!" I half laughed, half cried. All I was aware of was the agonizing suffering he was inflicting on me, the cruel bastard, all because I wouldn't put a jumper on.

"That's better." I heard him say through my bucking frenzy. I felt my hair being brushed away from my face, then his lips pressed hard on mine. "You could have saved us both a lot of trouble if you'd have just put...the...fucking...jumper...on."

I looked up at him and scowled as he lifted his heavyweight from me and put his jacket back on. I sat up, finding out that I was wearing the stupid jumper, somehow. I turned my fierceness onto him and he was regarding me intently, not a hint of amusement on his face.

"I'll just take it off!" I spat.

"No, you won't." He assured me, and he was probably right. I got off the bed, heading for the bathroom in the ridiculous jumper.

"You're an unreasonable arse!" I muttered, slamming the door behind me.

I went to pee and made a mental note to never let him get to zero again. I rubbed my poor abused hips, the sensitive flesh above my bones still tingling.

When I was done, I found Louis in the kitchen with Sam and Niall, who both ran their eyes over my jumper clad body. I shrugged, pouring myself another wine.

"Made up?" Niall asked, perching on Sam's lap. Sam separated his thighs, causing Niall to slip between his legs on a squeal. Niall playfully slapped him before looking at me for an answer.

"No!" I muttered, throwing Louis a disgruntled look. "And if you'd like to know who has put a hole in your kitchen door, look no further." I pointed my glass at Louis. "He also smashed your wine glass!" I added, like the pathetic snitch I was.

I watched as Louis reached in his pockets, palming off a pile of twenties and slapped them on the table in front of Niall.

"Let me know if it's more." He said, keeping his eyes firmly on me and I looked down at the table. There was at least five hundred quid there and I noticed he didn't apologize, like the arrogant arse he was.

"That should cover it." Niall shrugged and scooped the money up.

Louis shoved his hands back in his pockets, sauntering over to me and bent so his face was level with mine.

"I like your jumper."

"Fuck off." I mouthed, before taking a huge swig of wine and he grinned, kissing my nose.

"Mouth!" He warned. He grasped the back of my head, bunching my hair in his fist and pulled me forward so we were nose to nose. "Don't drink too much." He ordered, and then landed me with a searing hot kiss that I tried to resist a little.

When I was free from his lips and regained my senses, I scoffed, taking another glug. He shook his head mildly, inhaling deeply, before turning away from me.

"My work here is done." He said smugly as he left.

"Bye!" Niall sang on a laugh and I threw him a filthy look.

"My man!" Sam held his hand up with a grin. "Harry, where's the love?"

"Up his arse!" I snapped, discarding my wine glass and collecting my phone before storming out of the kitchen, back to my room. I heard Sam and Niall laughing as I crawled into bed with my jumper on.

The man was impossible.

I pretended the only reason I was pissed was for the fact Louis had manhandled me into a jumper. The fact that he was on his way to The Manor and a certain pouty-lipped witch was sure to be there, had nothing to do with my bad mood, nothing at all.

As I was dozed off, my phone started singing The Stone Roses, This is the One. I rolled my eyes, reaching for it from my bedside table, making a mental note to teach that man some phone manners.

"What?!" I snapped.

**"Who do you think you're talking to, young man?"**

"An unreasonable arse!"

**"I'll ignore that. Have you still got the jumper on?"**

"Yes!" I grumbled, wanting to say no. "Is that all you rang for?"

 **"No, I wanted to hear your voice."**  He said softly.  **"I'm having Harry withdrawal."**

I melted a little on a sigh as he could be so domineering, bossy and unreasonable, and in the next breath, completely soppy and lovely.

"You've been messing with my phone again!" I accused.

**"You're not going to hear me call if it's on silent, are you?"**

"No, but how did you know it was on silent?" I asked, although I already knew."Anyway, it's rude. And you need to apologize to Sally."

**"I'm sorry. Who's Sally?"**

"No, you're not. Sally is the waif-like creature in my office who you verbally attacked."

**"Oh, I'll take care of it. Make sure you dream of me."**

"I will. Goodnight." I smiled.

**"Oh, Harry?"**

"What?"

 **"You're the one, baby."** He hung up, and my heart jumped up into my throat.

I started chewing my thumbnail and drifted off to sleep considering his coded statement.

_Am I The One?_

_Is he The One?_

_Oh, hell. I really want him to be._

**ººº**

I sat at my desk in a complete daydream, my mind racing with thoughts of The One and fuckings of various degrees. If, in my perfect little world, I ended up in a relationship with Louis, that be how it was all of the time. Louis making his commands and me who obeyed. It was that or receiving some sort of fuck, or being subjected to some kind of countdown and torture until I relented, or he manhandled me into complying. I was not denying the certain element of fun in the fucking side of things, but there had to be give-and-take. And I was not sure Louis knew how to give unless it was one of his varying degrees of fucking.

He was so good at it, though.

I bristled when I concluded that it was, undoubtedly, because he had plenty of practice. My pencil snapped in my hand and I looked at the splintered wood in my grasp.

"Harry, you're here early!" Sally walked into the office, and I immediately giggled to myself, seeing Sally with a different light.

"Yes, I woke up early..." I said, wanting to add that it was because a neurotic arse made me wear a winter jumper in bed, causing me to wake up in a pool of sweat. She settled herself at her desk.

"I tried calling you yesterday after you left."

"You did?" I frowned, but then realized that I probably cleared Sally's missed call with the dozens of others from Louis.

"Yes, that angry man came into the office shortly after you left."

"He did?"

"He did and his mood had not improved." She said dryly and I smiled. "Did you give him a cuddle?"

Sally snorted, flopping back in her chair in another fit of laughter. I joined her, laughing helplessly as I watched Sal fall apart all over her desk. Patrick walked in and looked at both of us in exasperation before making his way to his own office, shutting the door behind him.

"Was Patrick here?" I asked.

She took her glasses off and started cleaning them with the hem of her brown, polyester blouse.

"What? When the lunatic came in? No, he was collecting Irene from the train station." She explained and I let out a sigh of relief.

_What was Louis thinking? He's a client. He can't come into my office and start throwing his weight around. I can hardly pass off Louis' temper as a normal client grievance scenario. He's already heaved me out of the office once._

The office door opened and the flower delivery girl, Lusso girl again, trundled in with two lavish sprays.

"Flower deliveries for Harry and Sally?"

I watched as Sally nearly passed out at her desk.

_I bet she's never had flowers bought for her. I already know who they're from, though. The smooth bastard._

"Me?" Sally gushed, grabbing the colorful bouquet from the delivery girl and shooing her towards my desk.

"Thanks!" I smiled, taking the simple spray of calla lilies before signing on behalf of Sally and myself. Sal looked like she was going to be in a daydream for the rest of the day. "What does the card say, Sal?" I called, watching her eyes dart from left to right across the words. She leaned back, placing her hand over her heart.

"It says, please accept my apologies. That man makes me crazy. Oh, Harry!" She looked up at me all soppy. "I would love to make a man that crazy!"

I rolled my eyes, retrieving the card from my own flowers. I bet that I didn't have an apology and Sally wouldn't be saying that if she was on the receiving end of Louis' unreasonable, neurotic behavior. 

_I make him crazy? What a joke._

I opened my card.

**You're the one I've been waiting for... Lx**

My soppy side swooned slightly, but then the sensible side of my brain, the part that was not completely consumed with Louis, was screaming that The One was actually someone who dropped to their knees and obeyed his every command, demand, and instruction. While I was fully aware that I did exactly that, on numerous occasions, I also needed to keep a hold of my identity and my mind.

It was bloody hard when I was so affected by that man. He already got my body or claimed it, more like.

My phone started ringing and I ignored the pang of disappointment at hearing the standard ringtone, but I couldn't ignore the pang of panic when I saw Nick's name flashing up on the screen, though.

"Hello?" I greeted as bored as I intended it to be.

 **"Harry, I didn't think you would answer."** His voice was cautious, and it should be after the stunt he pulled.

I myself didn't know why I even answered.

"Why would you think that, Nick?" The sarcasm was dripping from my voice. The worm had a nerve after what he said and how he behaved.

**"I'm sorry, Harry. I was bang out of line. Everything got on top of me. My boss told me that redundancies are going to be happening... and... it... urm... well, it put me on edge."**

_Oh, lovely. So he thought he'd try to get me back on that basis? Does he want financial security if he happens to lose his job? Cheeky twat! Does he realize what he's just said?_

"I'm sorry about that." I replied flatly.

 **"Thanks. It just brought things home. I've lost you, and now I might be losing my job. It's all gone tits up."** His voice was quivering with emotion and I sighed.

"I'm sure you'll be fine..." I assured him in my best calming tone. "You're good at your job."

_He really is. He has the confidence, a bit too much, attitude required of a salesperson._

**"Yeah, I just wanted to make amends with you, though."**

_That's okay with me, as long as he doesn't hit me with another 'I want you back' speech. What was he thinking?_

"It's fine, don't worry. I'll see you about, okay?"

 **"Yeah, we could do lunch again!"**  He added quickly.  **"As friends, of course, I still have those boxes with the last of your stuff."**

"I'll pick them up next week. Take care, Nick." I ignored his lunch suggestion.

**"You too!"**

I hung up, tossing my phone onto my desk.

As much as he was a twat, I didn't wish unemployment on him. He would be fine.

I put Nick out of my head and concentrated on getting some work done, pretending not to check my phone every ten minutes to make sure it was on and the volume was up.

_Why hasn't he called?_

**ººº**

I walked down our street after picking up a bottle of wine and saw Niall in the distance, jumping around in the middle of the road like the blonde-headed nutter that he was. As I got near, I did a double take. Parked up next to Margo was another bright red van, but that one was brand spanking new. All I could think about was that Niall was finally invested in some new wheels and how it was about time.

"Nice wheels!" I said as I approached. He spun around, his blue eyes dancing, his pale cheeks flushed.

"Do you know anything about this?"

"Why would I?"

"I just got home and it was parked here! I admired it for a bit, walked through the front door and trod on the keys. Look." He thrust the keys under my nose, prompting me to look at the note attached to a piece of string on the key ring.

"No more bruised butts, please." I read. I thought back to his fierce reaction to my battered bottom. "Have you spoken to Sam?" I asked.

"Yep, he said I should speak to Louis."

"Why would he say that?" I asked shortly.

"Well, obviously, because he thinks Louis is the mystery van buyer." He rolled his eyes. "If the Lord has brought me a van so you don't bruise your arse again, then I'll... Well, I'll love the fact that you bruise like a peach!"

"Niall, you can't accept it." 

He looked at me in disgust, and I knew that there was no hope in Hell of him returning the van. I could see it in his delighted eyes.

"No fucking way! Don't you dare make me give it back, I've already christened her."

"What?!" My tone was seriously lacking patience and he spread his long, pale fingers over the bonnet.

"Meet, Margo Junior." He laid his torso down on the bonnet of Margo Junior, caressing the red metal.

I shook my head in exasperation, stomping up the path to the house.

No doubt he loved the impossible prat even more. I wondered what Louis' game was, with flowers for Sally and a van for Niall, and tossing the Queen's currency on the kitchen table like it was a tea towel.

"I'm taking her for a spin!" Niall yelled up the path to me.

I didn't reply. Instead, I took myself up the stairs and straight into the kitchen to put my flowers in a vase and crack open my bottle of wine. I finished my first glass and went for a shower.

I took my time washing the day away and leaving my conditioner in for five minutes while I shaved. As I turned the water off, I heard the Stone Roses track I've been desperate to hear all day and nearly broke my neck scrambling out of the shower to sprint across the landing. The phone rang off, the screen clearing to reveal eight missed calls.

I dialed him as I walked across the landing and into the lounge, looking out of the window to see if Niall was back.

He was not, but Louis was pacing up and down the garden path, looking his usual Godly self, in jeans and a thin knitted, navy jumper. I smiled, tingling from top to toe at the sight of him. He was frantically punching buttons on his phone and, just like I knew it would, my mobile lighted up in my hand.

"Hello?" I said, all cool and casual.

 **"Where the hell are you?"**  He barked down the phone and I ignored his tone.

"Where are you?" I countered _,_ knowing damn well where he was. I stood at the window, watching him take his hand through his hair, but then he disappeared from view into the recess of the front door.

 **"I'm outside Niall's almost kicking the door down!"**  He snapped.  **"Is it too much to ask that you answer your phone the first time I call you?"**

"I was otherwise engaged. Why haven't you called all day?" I asked, making my way down to the front door.

 **"Because, Harry, I don't want you to feel hounded!"**  He was completed exasperated, making me smile, loving every crazy element of him.

"But you're still shouting at me..." I reminded him. I looked out of the viewer, dissolving on the spot when I saw him leaning against the wall in the open porch way.

 **"I am..."**  He said softly.  **"You make me crazy. Where are you?"**

I watched him slide down the wall until his arse hit the floor, knees bent, head dropped. I opened the door, not being able to see him like that.

"Here..."

He looked up and dropped his phone from his ear, but made no attempt to get up. He just looked at me, relief flooding his handsome face. I stepped out and slid down the wall opposite him so we were sitting across from each other, knee to knee. I half expected him to throw me inside because of my half-naked state, but he didn't. Instead, he reached forward and placed his big hand on my exposed knee. I was less than surprised when it sent hot sparks of fire flying off all over me.

"I was in the shower..."

"Well, take your phone next time." He ordered.

"Okay." I saluted him.

"Where are your clothes?" He ran his blue eyes over my bare chest to the towel around my waist.

I wouldn't have dared kept him waiting while I got dressed. I probably would've found him dead of a seizure.

"In my wardrobe!" I answered dryly.

His hand disappeared under my towel, clasping me above my hip bone, prompting a jerk and the loosening of my towel.

"My man!"

I looked down the path and saw Sam walking up. When I returned my eyes to Louis, he looked like he could, very well, had a seizure right there. His eyes were wide as he jumped to his feet and yanked me up, doing a spectacular job of keeping me covered by the towel.

"Sam, don't fucking move!" He yelled. I was scooped up and bundled through the door at breakneck speed, hearing Sam laughing as Louis jogged up the stairs with me in his arms, muttering about ripping prying eyes out. I was tossed on the bed. "Get dressed, we're going out."

I snapped my head up.

_I'm not going to The Manor._

I got up from the bed, minus one towel, and went to my dressing table.

"Where?"

His gaze traveled down my naked form.

"Well, it occurred to me when I was out running that I've not taken you for dinner yet. You have the most incredible legs. Get dressed." He nodded at my wardrobe.

If he meant dinner at The Manor, then I was not in. I would avoid that place at all costs if Hannah was there. And the chances were, that I established that she worked for him, that she would be.

"Where?" I asked again as I started rubbing cocoa butter into my legs.

"A little Italian place I know. Now, get dressed before I collect on my debt."

I stood, slowly massaging my cream in.

"Debt?" I asked and his eyebrows rose.

"You owe me."

"I do?" I frowned, but I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Oh, you do. I'll wait outside at the risk of cashing in sooner!" He gave me his roguish grin. "I wouldn't want you to think this was all about sex." He left me with that little comment before stalking out.

_Oh, it's not all about the sex? Those few words have just made my day. Maybe tonight I'll find out what goes on in that beautiful, complex mind of his._

I was suddenly filled with hope.

After much deliberation on what to wear, I settled on my beige capri pants, a nude, silk shirt, and cream ballet converse making sure I put my coral lace underwear on. I roughed my hair up and smoked my eyes out. Nude gloss finished me off.

I walked onto the landing, finding an irritable Louis pacing up and down and I frowned.

"I didn't take that long..."


End file.
